We all have this in common...
Back around 1991-92, when I was living in Philadelphia, I had a close encounter with Steve Jobs. Yes, that Steve Jobs – the guy who pretty much helped to change everything, who has now passed on. What a loss. 56… too soon. Way too soon.
Anyway, it was about 20 years ago. I was returning a rental car first thing on Monday morning, on my way to work. I was headed out to the airport, where I’d rented the car, and I needed to fill up the tank. So, I stopped at this gas station that was on just this side of the bridge, pumped my gas, and went inside to pay. There was a man standing in front of me in line who I thought looked vaguely familiar.
Now, mind you, this was the early 1990′s, before everyone and their aunt, uncle, brother, sister, niece, nephew, and grandparent had a computer of their own. Before Macs were generally cool — and known. Only people in academia and the defense industry had email. Nobody I knew could fathom why you would need a computer of your own at home. And not everybody knew who Steve Jobs was. I, on the other hand, had gone to school with people who were total Mac freaks, who stayed up till 3 a.m. ever single night, no matter what, exploring the Apple computer they had pooled their money and bought together.
So, I’m standing there, waiting to pay for my gas, when I hear someone call out to the man standing in line in front of me, “Hey Steve! How are you?” Then woman that the counter says, “Oh, hi Mr. Jobs! How are you today?” Holy smokes! It’s Steve Jobs! I thought, and I sneaked a look — sure did look like the Steve Jobs I’d heard about. The man in line in front of me greeted everyone in return — they all sounded like they knew each other from many a time of him pumping his gas at this same station. He sounded like a genuinely nice person as he chatted with everyone. I came this close to introducing myself and shaking his hand, but I figured he was a busy guy, and who was I, right?
I mean, he was Steve Jobs. And when it comes to fame and fortune, sometimes the best and kindest thing you can do for someone in the limelight, is give them their privacy and let them actually have a life, where some stranger isn’t intruding with the intention of “getting on their radar” for some indeterminate reason.
Well, the man in front of me chatted for a while with the folks in the store, then he took off, and it was my turn to pay. The feeling in the place was positive, upbeat. It was better after he left, than when he’d come in. People were actually happy, after talking to him. And this was first thing on a Monday morning — a not very nice day, if I remember correctly.
I think about that morning, now and then. I’ve been thinking about it a lot, lately. And it occurs to me, if Steve Jobs was able to continue in the ensuing years that same personal sense of, well, goodness that he once brought to a convenience store/gas station… then the world really has lost something precious and valuable.
Forget about the iPhones, Macs, iPads, iPods, and whatnot. Those can all be replaced, and someone else is bound to come up with something just as spiffy and cool, on down the line. The thing of it is, there’s just a little less good in the world.
I guess the rest of us have some work to do, to make up the difference.
