On the Road

As a small business owner on the road for over half of every year traveling a two-state area, things happen along the way that confirm to me why we do what we do. I’d like to share with you a story.

I was visiting a county and a city in the middle of nowhere the other day. It was 100 degrees plus, and I had to drive a bit back to another city to catch a flight home. With a coat and tie on, I decided I would get something to drink for the drive to the airport. I pulled up to the local DQ, walked in, stood in line. When I got to the counter, the lady who took my order looked at the clock and said, “You’re too early for happy hour.”

I thought, happy hour at DQ? And oh did that take me back. In my mind it’s called euphoric recall—about all the happy hours I had been to. I’ve been sober over 25 years now, and those thoughts can still rise up at a second in the middle of nowhere.

The next thing I heard was, “Sir?” I returned to the present and ordered an Iced Tea.

“You aren’t from around here,” she said. The clue was a dark suit in 100 degree weather. I said “No, I’m here on business.” When she asked what kind of business, I offered, “I’m in the ankle bracelet business, and I don’t mean the gold kind. I am working with the county here.”

She had this puzzled look on her face, then blurted out, “You the SCRAM Guy?”

I almost fell over. And then she told me a story.

“I got mine off a month ago, and at it has saved my life.

“I got my family back, got a job, and I’ve been sober for 2 years.” She had a great smile on her face, and then she asked me about Rosa, from our office. This woman explained that she had been struggling to pay her fees, but that Rosa worked with her, encouraged her, and supported her until she got it paid. Rosa had played an important part in this woman’s life and sobriety. (Rosa is now in the collections department for our organization, 400 miles away.)

I was speechless. She gave me my Iced Tea (though I still didn’t get the HH price), and I left for my drive back. During that drive, and still today, a week later, I think about her. I have satisfaction in my heart, and in my gut I know that we are actually doing some good. That the benefit is really beyond words.