Happy Endings

By Susan J. 

I had Curt in my Excel classes a few years ago. He had been laid off and seemed tense and quiet, but he was very serious about learning new skills for the jobs he was applying for. He came faithfully to classes for a while, but then we stopped seeing him around the library. We hoped that meant he had gotten a job.

Two years later, I was at the grocery store, shopping with my daughter when a man approached me. It was Curt. “I don’t know if you remember me,” he began, “but two years ago I took your classes at the library.” Somehow I did remember him, and smiled. “I wanted to thank you. I haven’t been around the library lately, because I got a very good job.  I’ve been meaning to stop by to thank you. I would not have gotten my job if it hadn’t been for those free computer classes you taught.”

Curt’s smile at the grocery store that morning was contagious and I smiled my way through the rest of my shopping. Sometimes we never find out the end of the story with the people the library helps, but hearing Curt talk about his new job – his dream job, really – was inspiring. I had first met him when the chips were down and he didn’t know what the future held. Two years later, I finally got to hear about the happy ending!Nike WMNS Air Force 1 Shadow White/Hydrogen Blue-Purple