The last three times I’ve flown Delta Airlines out of the Jackson airport I’ve been recognized by employees.
And if you think that sounds fancy, just know it mostly means somebody hollering at me while I’m trying to find my gate.
“Hey, you’re my magazine man!!!” No, ma’am — I’m an attorney. I don’t deliver magazines.
“OMG, you are the electric man!!!” That’s right — Electric Man — able to leap a padmounted transformer in a single bound. (Well, not these days.) This was a flight attendant who told me she enjoyed reading my articles. Then she handed me the whole can of Coke. Not a cup — the can. That’s not just customer service —that’s encouragement.
“Callahan. Michael Callahan. You’re the writer guy!!” This was the gate agent when my ticket scanned, and the little machine made that happy beep. I’ve never been called “a writer” in real life, and I liked it. Later he told me how much he enjoys reading my columns.
People are always surprised when they see me out in public — like I’m supposed to stay in the magazine and only come out once a month. Some folks look downright shocked, like they just spotted Bigfoot. I’m not sure why, because I DO live in Mississippi (Madison, to be exact). A lot of folks will say, “I loved this month’s article.” Thank you — but I write these ahead of time. “This month’s article” might’ve been written back in January, so help me out and tell me which one you mean.
Truth is, I love talking to people — but I’m cautious at first because I can’t tell which way it’s about to go. Am I fixing to get chewed out (I’ll never write about Christmas lights again), or am I about to hear something kind like, “That piece about your father made me think about my dad”? Once I know you’re friendly, though, I’m all in.
Two things get mentioned more than anything else. First: “Wow, you are much taller than your picture!” That always cracks me up, since my photo is a headshot — there’s no scale unless you’re measuring my ears. For the record, I’m 6-foot 6-inches tall and a slim 242 pounds. (Yes, the COVID weightloss journey worked. I didn’t want my widow spending my retirement in the Caribbean. Spite is an excellent personal trainer.)
Second: “You look much different in person than your picture.” This is usually said by a woman who’s smiling, so I choose to translate it as, “You look better in person.” The camera and I have never gotten along, which is one reason I gave up politics and went to work for the co-ops. So yes — if you see me in person, you’re getting the upgraded model.
If you happen to see a tall, goodlooking writer roaming around Mississippi, don’t be shy — come on and speak. I’d love to meet you.
Finally, a big shoutout to the Central Electric and Southern Pine Electric folks who work for Delta. Y’all do a wonderful job, and I hope I run into you again soon.
