I don't know if I even blogged this before but, after we signed the paperwork to move into independent living, the marketing director of the home asked if they could interview us and put an article about us in their newsletter.
Our response was to chuckle with each other and say, in effect, "If you really want to."
We set up an appointment to be interviewed by the editor of the newsletter. We chatted for about two hours, all but about ten of those minutes she talked to Evie.
Another day we showed up and she took, we're guessing about 80 pictures of us in front and around the new apartment building so she could pick a decent one for the newsletter. (Evie's very photogenic. I ain't.)
The picture they used was nice, actually. It's my Facebook profile picture these days.
The article was, uh, interesting. It quoted me saying things Evie said and vice versa. And, at least one thing neither of us said. It had me saying that I love the ethos of the place. I'd never spoken or written that word in my life! At least, before the article.
About two months later, the General Manager of the store passed me in an aisle and said, "Hey. Bill, you're famous." I recall mumbling something like, "Yeah, really. "
He was merely the first. About a dozen times that day coworkers and customers acknowledged my fame. One of them, eventually, told me that they saw my picture in the newsletter.
I'm still being told that I'm famous.
Since the publication of the newsletter, our images have appeared in a number of publications as part of a marketing campaign, including, at least twice, the Lancaster (PA) Sunday newspaper...a big deal here in Lancaster County, along with the slogan?, "Bill and Evelyn can't wait to move into their new apartment."
It's all been an incredible hoot.
However, the other day, the marketing director called Evie and told her that one of the women in the personal care part of the home has said that she'd like to meet Bill and Evelyn Sloat. He was confused but passed on the message. I was working but Evie was free so she went to the office and then the two of them went to personal care and he introduced Evie to Nancy.
After the introduction, Nancy started rooting through drawers and found the newsletter and showed Evie her picture in the newsletter. The marketing director said, "Ah ha."
Apparently, the staff here has no idea how much that article has had legs.
Anyway, Evie invited Nancy to see our apartment the next day.
From the beginning, we knew that this might not go well.
Yesterday, my cell phone rang at the store. The screen told me it was from the home. I can't take calls on the job. I only break the rule if the call's from Evie or the home my mom lives in. I let this call go to voicemail. I got a voicemail. It was Nancy. I have no idea how she got my number. The message itself was indecipherable.
Evie says that Nancy seems a little autistic. The behavior is not surprising.
The question here is, What Would Jesus Do?, a very timely question when much of our culture is in full Xmas hysteria and others are acknowledging the incarnation of God.
What is grace and mercy here? What is wisdom?
Life, by the grace of God, is always teaching lessons.
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