She the older precise professional
He the architect of Information needs
Appraisals of words and people traced with strokes of her red pen
Compilation of numbers and trends his natural role.
A partnership forced by a business union.

A miracle worker with text and clarity
A persistant gatherer of information
Gradually respect develops, a forced partnership no more
A Window of Understanding is created, a friendhip grows

Together commiserating our leaderships misdirection
Pondering and sharing our families nuances
Both distant from our birth homes
A southern man yearning for the North Carolina hills
A Pennsylvania lady concerned for her parents welfare
The Window widens, hearts gain acceptance

Somehow the Wordsmith's gifts go unnoticed
Clarity of words and expression are assumed
Managerial ignorance fails to understand her worth
Her time as my partner has come to an end
I grieve my friends departure, no longer a short walk away
The window opened wide, in danger of closing

Time has flown, our lives apart
I wonder how my friend has progressed
Christmas cards exchanged, telephone calls made
What once was a partnership is no more
Yet the understanding of Times shared will always be the same

12/03/2004

Author's Note: I worked beside this lady for about 3 years, due to a merger between US Airways and Piedmont Airlines. She was a US Airways employee, and I was with Piedmont. We were from very different environments and cultures, but we learned to appreciate each other. I don't think I have ever seen anyone write a clearer more concise sentence, or a better master at editing others work.

Posted on 12/03/2004
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