Lasting value

As I said, my dad's a teacher. And a few days ago @pichipsandgravy tweeted at me.

@isaach sorry to bother u Isaac, by chance was your farther a teacher called dave had a yellow 2cv car?

— Pie chips and gravey (@pichipsandgravy) December 14, 2011

Now it turns out that yes, when I was growing up my dad taught kids in elementary and middle schools in the north of England. And to my utter shame at the time the family car was indeed a yellow Citroën 2CV.¹

So I wrote

@pichipsandgravy yes! that was a while ago, mind. do you know him?

— Isaac Hepworth (@isaach) December 14, 2011

and then over the course of a few more Tweets (from me in San Francisco to @pichipsandgravy on an oil rig in the North Sea) established that yes, my dad was his teacher at school about 30 years ago. He'd learned guitar from my dad, and still plays. He remembered my father being a particularly special teacher; was hoping to get back in touch to say thanks.

My wife Wendy is a teacher too, and (on a smaller timescale) gets the same thing: kids of classes past making touching personal gestures of appreciation; being a part of the neighborhood's social history; local families recognizing her on the street and excited to see her.

It makes you think! I wrote my dad "I can guarantee you that nobody's going to be writing to me in 30 years being appreciative of my work and how it's affected their life!" and I believe it.

¹ which was desperately uncool until the same color and model featured in the Bond film For Your Eyes Only in 1981.