I was going to take pictures of tree branches that were blown down, when the winds were unusually strong and gusty, just recently. Pictures would help our community’s landscaping committee, and our tree service company, assess an old tree’s condition.
A young man, with another company that does landscaping work around the area, was taking his lunch break near the fallen branches. I didn’t want to disturb him, but he didn’t mind. After I snapped some pictures, we started talking. He was learning to play the guitar. He explained how placing his fingers different ways on the guitar strings, changed the tone, the pitch and the sounds of his music.
I was recalling a Rolling Stones documentary my wife and I had seen, years ago. Especially the closeup of one of the Rolling Stones — maybe Keith Richards — strumming the first notes of one of the rock band’s most memorable songs. As his fingers began moving over the guitar strings, we could see — in a peaceful, powerful scene — the way little bits of dust, in the air, were being disturbed. If I’d been a movie critic, I would have described that closeup as was one of the most memorable visual images.
I returned home that day with, as I’d hear business colleagues say, ‘great takeaways,’ from my brief visit with the aspiring musician.
A few days later, our almost-former neighbors, who are in the process of moving across country for career opportunities, asked if we could coordinate selling some outdoor furniture they’d decided to leave behind. They’d heard from some folks, nearby, who might be interested. Could we help?
Of course we could, and the prospective buyers stopped by later that day. And via some texting, involving price negotiations, the deal was done.
We got to know the furniture buyers. We talked about our respective families, we joked around. We enjoyed each other’s company. Like I had enjoyed my brief conversation, earlier that week, with the guitar-studying young man.
All this, after not engaging much with people — other than remotely — during the pandemic. And even with COVID restrictions easing, now, we were all wearing our masks. We still were social distancing.
And you know what else? We all — all of us — from different walks of life, different backgrounds and ethnicities, enjoyed emerging, a little bit, from the pandemic. We enjoyed getting to know one another.
All in all, good, memorable takeaways! As they say in business.
Harvey Radin is former senior vice president in charge of corporate communications and media relations, Bank of America Western Region. He makes his home in Redwood City, CA.