Ten minutes to write. Less time to read.

On July 11, I wrote harsh words about commercial free Sirius radio and determined to return my equipment and cancel my subscription for a service that never worked. I ranted and raved not only on line but also in private. But the truth is I never got around to cancelling the subscription in question. To the rescue came Earl, who had given me the equipment and the service in the first place last Christmas.

“What if I get it fixed for you?” he said. I mentally threw up my hands at capitulating after a long and unproductive spring with Sirius telephone help, but I restrained from saying so aloud. Instead, I told him if he wanted to tinker with it, that was just fine with me.

So Earl took my car to the local Best Buy, spoke with the manager there, and arranged for some guru technician to install added equipment that would make the whole thing work. It would take about an hour, and all I had to do was return at the appointed time and sit tight. Skeptical as usual, I returned for the appointment with my laptop, assuming I would be there more than sixty minutes. But I wasn’t. And, wonder of wonder, my Sirius works like a charm. I love it.

There’s an interesting reminder here of how Earl and I work together. As a rule, I’m the detail person, while he is definitely big picture. I’m the organizer and the fixer, while he is the delegator and the check writer. I’d rather figure it out myself than pay someone else.

But just when I’m about to give up, he comes to the rescue; and the Sirius radio project isn’t the first time. I drove him nuts when I bought my first condo and got in a tizzy with the mortgage company. In the end I got a great deal thanks to Earl. Then there was the time we arrived 24 hours late for our reservation at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville where we planned to stay and see the Grand Old Opry. Thanks to a screw-up on my part we missed both. I was most distraught. Earl took it in stride and found a hotel for us without batting an eye or pointing a finger. Today we laugh at the situation.

So thanks, Earl, for coming in when all my nerve goes out. I appreciate you every time I listen to the All Broadway channel without commercial interruption.