James Keith
Oh God! I was searching for someone here and I came across this long, beautiful , name and Iknew she was familiar to me . “Julienne” from Network in Longview ! We worked together when I was in college 1990-1991! She wasn’t a whole lot older than me ; but, she was a “lead “, or type of senior staff member who had extra tasks and made sure we all stayed at our stations .. headsets on and that we didn’t “splash” or transfer the payphone customer before offering to let our service totally rip them for unGodly amounts ! I remember I’d be in awe of her maturity and responsibility ( Even on holidays and special days she’d be at that desk atop a built up platform in the center of a room full of “telephone operators “ “making sure we kept to the grind . I was 20 at the time and work was mostly something I wanted less of; especially on certain Saturdays /Sunday’s. I couldn’t help myself when the urge overtook me to turn around and come back home . I just wanted to have some “me” time particularly when my parents out of town. I’d be sitting there buzzed on Coors Light and shortly after the time I’d be due in - the phone ☎️ would begin ringing ((( it caused so much conflict within me good/vs./bad , ))🤔 We didn’t have caller id then . So, Id dare not answer and the machine would click on .. screech ... “ James . This is Juliene it’s Saturday . You are scheduled to work today . You need to call me . You know you work every Saturday ! You can’t say that you didn’t think you worked Saturday ! ”” And then she’d call again ... “ James, I know you’re there ! I can hear you breathing .. now pick up the phone .”! Oh Lord ! She was persistent! My denial soon drove me to seek out friends , rather than stay home ,
terrified her ☎️ call would break -up my blissful denial !! on those “mental health break” days! She wasn’t always serious though: . She acted tough but she was a softee!. On Saturday nights we’d usually go party after work at a close by coworkers place . We were all close and many of us drank to take our minds off the job. Lol :joy:You’re Mom shocked the heck out of an entire houseful of us when she actually walked in one night! We always egged her on to joining us .. She always tried ro keep herself a bit separated because of the job tho . But, she couldn’t resist seeing what Sat. nights after Network were about !!! She was Loved ! I remember when she was pregnant with (Breana ?). Oh God, what a happy woman she was ! And a single one at that, I believe ! I knew that she was set -on-serious that her baby was going to have the absolute Best she could get ! She was so devoted, so loving to you ( little baby now a woman , whose Mother long ago I was closely associated in work life with ... to the son who came later and now a man ... You guys were gifted with you’re Mother . But, I believe she knew she had the Best gift imaginable with you in her arms . I believe I used to hear her in the hall , when she thought nobody was around .... she used to hum parts of “my sunshine , “ God Bless Y’all ! James Keith