I'm sitting out here in an empty lobby today for a reason, to honor one of THE BEST office workers I've ever had the pleasure of knowing, Norma Lang.

Jodi in Accounting Photo Credit
Jodi in Accounting Photo Credit
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I think Norma's official title was 'Reception' back when I began my 'career' in the middle 90's but as anyone that was there will tell you, SHE RAN THAT BUILDING.

With cell phone use still in it's infancy, phone calls would flood the front desk in Portsmouth as would clients, clowns, live animals, rock stars and professional wrestlers.

And Norma, somehow, would orchestrate it all with ease.

That was also a tumultuous time in radio as corporate takeovers seemed to happen every week and it was very difficult to determine who owned us at any given moment.

If memory serves, we once had 3 different owners with  FOUR separate General Managers in ONE calendar year.

Whenever someone was terminated, which was often, I'd sit in the lobby just like I'm doing in this picture.

Sometimes, I'd sit there quietly for ten minutes waiting until the chaotic pace would slow down enough and Norma would call me up to her desk with the same question.

'Is there anything I can help you with young man?'

I would then tell her that I had a very important business meeting with the individual who was most recently fired.

Her response was perfectly polite, by the book and 100% straight faced. I couldn't get through half of it without cracking up or rolling on the lobby floor. I went through this routine with her about 30 times and it never failed to put me on my knees.

She usually would finish her quote with a wry smile and I'd chuckle for hours.

Norma passed away last week at age 87 and I'll never forget her. She was THE BEST!

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