The Seven People You Meet in Sheffield

On Friday, August 29, I left my office to observe New Marlborough Central School's fire drill. As I started my drive, a light came on in my car, showing that my left rear tire needed air. It wasn't dire, and I knew there was a gas station I could go to on my way back. I didn't think anything of it. 

After the fire drill, I walked back to my car and saw I had a problem. The tire was nearly flat. I drove (slowly) back to the gas station and called a colleague who brought me back to the office so I could grab my computer and bag. I called AAA, and then my colleague kindly returned me to the gas station to wait for the tow truck. I settled into a park bench on Main Street in Sheffield, connected my computer's WiFi to my phone, and began to respond to the e-mail messages that had accumulated in my inbox since this situation arose. 

A little while later, I noticed a couple of young men whom I recognized as students. One was on a bike, the other was on a scooter. They passed by me a couple of times, then ultimately circled back and stopped by my bench. They recognized me and wanted to check in to see if everything was OK. I showed them my flat tire and explained that I was waiting for AAA to arrive. They checked in on me two more times before I left in the tow truck. 

Shortly after that, a woman was walking her dog. She noticed my lanyard and asked me if I was OK. We started chatting, and at one point, she tilted her head to the side and said, "You're the new superintendent, right? I saw your picture in the paper." It was starting to drizzle, so I left the bench and went to stand under an awning. This woman circled back to me in her car and shared that the library was open until seven, in case it started to rain harder. 

While standing there, three more staff members (one with her child) crossed my path. All offered help. They all checked in to see if I was okay. All asked if there was anything they could do to help. I felt so cared for by people whom I had just met. Literally a stranger, and six other people who had known me for less than five days. 

So, no, it's not as moving a story as The Five People You Meet in Heaven, by Mitch Albom. And if you haven't read that book, I highly recommend that you do. But it is a story about what I believe makes all the difference: relationships. The work in education is about relationships. That's it. That's the list. Everything grows from there. 

I was humbled by the kindness of everyone who checked in on me. The offers of help. Suggestions of places to stay dry. And mostly, students stop to spend a part of their free time on a Friday afternoon with a guy they saw eating with them in the cafeteria. 

All because of a flat tire.