Maybe I’ll skip the Pindaric Ode form. I’m going with Sherri-inspired haiku. Let’s see, here goes:
Twenty minutes gone
Show host only talking toast
Producer fuming
Or how about…
Brilliant black lady
Forced to work with whitest man?
Now must talk robots
Or let’s try this…
Didn’t want to play
but suddenly time for “Is
My Head in a Case?”
So yeah it’s like I’m
pretty awesome at haiku
make look easy, yep
—–
Sherri joined the show two years ago. She also joined our family. And we joined hers. (Her mom, Miss Bev, calls me “son”, and how great is THAT?) My son – my wonderfully Aspie, crazy-smart, and close-to-the-vest son – is not easily entertained. But when Aunt Sherri is over, he’s smiling and laughing the whole time.
Sherri is now officially no longer employed, and that’s an emotional thing. I’m not going to comment on this, except to say I’m sorry for the listeners. And I’m elated for me, because I hope to continue doing radio with her, one way or the other.
I’ve always struggled, as you may know, with feeling worthy at all of having a platform. It’s my nature to be vulnerable on the air, say something I desperately hope means something to someone, then start a song, quietly take off my headphones, and think, “I have no business doing this. I’m terrible. Why am I even – ”
Sherri, who builds me up like a big sister, is on the intercom.
“Brant, you said that very well. You know people are desperate to hear that, and they’re not going to hear that anywhere else on the radio. GREAT job.”
And I decide to keep going. Man, everybody needs that at work. (And, by the way, it’s my belief that encouragement like that says more about the character of the encourager than the talent of the encouraged.)
So here’s to Sherri, as she makes a new start. Both of us find ourselves temporarily between jobs, but don’t plan to be gone from radio long.
And somehow, if that doesn’t happen, my wife and I will always, always be her biggest fans (besides, of course, Miss Bev, Nana, and family.)
We believe in her, not just as a radio talent, but as a person with a love for Jesus, an inordinate amount of wisdom, and – let’s be honest, here – the most infectious laugh we’ve all ever heard.