Anderson doesn性视界传媒檛 look like a killer, but I promise if something is bugging you, he性视界传媒檒l take care of it and do it with a smile.
If you性视界传媒檙e lucky, like I was on Tuesday, he might even be in the mood to chat while he does his work.
Anderson性视界传媒檚 work, by the way, is killing bugs and other pests as part of his job with a local exterminating company he性视界传媒檚 worked for the past 27 years.
Thought I would get that out of the way before you started thinking I had begun hanging around serial killers just to get a good column.
I didn性视界传媒檛 expect to get a column from my visit with the local exterminator, but that性视界传媒檚 one of the things I like about being a columnist in East Texas. Everyone has a story, and if you take the time to listen instead of talking, you just might learn something.
Anderson is 69, and if he性视界传媒檚 not the most pleasant person I性视界传媒檝e ever met, the line in front of him isn性视界传媒檛 a long one.
When he arrived at my house, the dual alarm system of our 16-pound Yorkie Poo, Sarge, and his 12-pound Yorkie sidekick, Bentley, greeted Anderson at the front gate. I性视界传媒檓 sure Sarge and Bentley think they sound and look like terrifying creatures, but Anderson wasn性视界传媒檛 afraid.
性视界传媒淗ey now,性视界传媒 he said in a soft voice as he reached down to pet them. 性视界传媒淵性视界传媒檃ll remember me.性视界传媒
And, just like that, the barking stopped and the tail-wagging started.
Dogs know a good person when they encounter one. I性视界传媒檝e always believed that.
The last few times Anderson has dropped by for our monthly pest control visits, I性视界传媒檝e been at work, so we had some catching up to do. He knows I性视界传媒檓 sports editor at the News-Journal, so we typically talk about sports.
I told him I had recently passed a milestone at my job. The school year that is about to end in a few months will be my 39th covering sports in East Texas, but this past Sunday I reached 35 years of employment with the same company. Sort of.
I was hired at the Lufkin Daily News on March 30, 1990. That newspaper was owned by Cox Enterprises, which sold to another company, which sold to M. Roberts Media, which sold to my current bosses at Carpenter Media Group.
Thankfully, all of those folks mentioned have allowed me to keep my years of service. Thus, the 35-year anniversary.
Anderson was impressed with the 35 years with one company and the 39 total years, especially when he found out I had just turned 59.
And, being one of those people who listens more than he talks, he has a firm grasp of how and why I have been able to do this profession for so long and still enjoy it.
性视界传媒淚 bet it never gets boring watching kids do all of those amazing things, does it?性视界传媒
Bingo.
I can list a lot of reasons I love my job, but at the top of the list is the kids.
Nothing beats meeting and writing about a young lady or young man when they are gangly freshmen who have difficulty walking and chewing gum at the same time and then going to their scholarship signing ceremony a few years later because they stuck to the grind, allowed themselves to be coached, took care of the academic side and turned into next-level athletes.
性视界传媒淚性视界传媒檓 amazed at some of these kids,性视界传媒 Anderson said. 性视界传媒淎nd, I性视界传媒檓 proud of them.性视界传媒
He性视界传媒檚 proud of kids he doesn性视界传媒檛 even know and will probably never meet, which means he 性视界传媒済ets it.性视界传媒
Over the years, I性视界传媒檝e had folks tell me they don性视界传媒檛 read the newspaper because they don性视界传媒檛 have kids or don性视界传媒檛 know any of the kids I write about.
That性视界传媒檚 a shame.
Only a few of the kids I write about will become professional athletes, but some will, and you性视界传媒檙e missing a chance to brag that you knew them 性视界传媒渂ack then,性视界传媒 if you don性视界传媒檛 read the newspaper or visit our websites.
The ones that don性视界传媒檛 become professional athletes?
I can say with the confidence of seeing it happen for almost 40 years that most of them will become the top coaches, teachers, lawyers, doctors, nurses and just all-around good people you性视界传媒檒l ever meet.
Sort of like my friend Anderson.
