Finishing up the cast of characters- work version

I left off at the financial planning firm- but there has been one job I have held for the last 19 years, while doing Browns, Strategic, and now Xerox.

HR Block- 1995-present- (who knows this year).  I started in one location for 2 years and drove an old guy to retire.  I asked him so many questions.  I found my home in Glendale Heights.  There has been a core group around there for years, most everyone doing it for the main reason, they want to help their clients.  If I have to step away from it this year, that's the one piece I will miss.  It really isn't about the gobs of money that come in our pay checks.  Gobs (?).  So this is my winter family- and when January comes around its like we never left.

Bill- this is one guy who whenever I think I am stepping outside the "norm" he is a good one to check with.  If there is an edge- I want to be on it- but never over it.   Call this bad career move number #39-if I followed Bills career path I would have played plenty of golf, (he has/had his PGA card), give lessons, substitute teach when I want to- and ref school sports.  Jealous- hmmmm.  YES!.  I sit in a cube looking at spreadsheets.  Bill is a great guy.

Araceli, Janice, and Linda- I will group these guys together.  Celi and Linda have been with me from the beginning, Janice was playing big shot at a HR Block special office, until that one closed.  Araceli is a nurse- but still comes back for maybe 30 years now.  I have seen her family grow up.  While only a few conversations during the year, she is a caring person.  Next is Janice.  Janice is Mom.  She is a really good tax pro- but she is Mom.  Moms bake.  In previous posts I have mentioned toll house cookies as my last meal.  Janice brings in a nice substitute.  And Linda.  Linda will know every last one of her clients, their names, kids names, their weights, when they come in to get their taxes done, and what they had for dinner last night.  The fastest thing I have ever seen one day, not a police chase, not a cheetah on Animal Planet, it was Linda leaving one night after she was done.  3 great people.

There is one I wanted to separate, Barb S.  She started about 10 years ago- (damn.... time flies), and she and I worked on Saturdays for a while.  At that time you really get to know someone.   She has given sound advice to improve my "grocery habits", green tea, etc.  For a while she really wanted to be Mom- so she didn't work much- or at all.  Shame on me- Mom's work- she didn't work at HR Block.  In her first year she had a pilot as a client, what a beautiful job she did with him.  You see the work- Barb wanted to do well.  If I don't come back, my clients would be in great hands with Barb- but one problem, shes still Mom.

There have been others at Block- too numerous to name.  But these 5 will stick with me.  And god willing, I am back doing this, I look forward to the day that I can eat Janice's cookies on a Saturday morning.  Only one job left- not bad for an older fart like me.