Written by:
Frank Sisco, 30 Mill Road, New Rochelle, NY 10804
Home office - 914.740.4422, Cell - 914.740.4422; Email – ideasmoney@aol.com
www.iphonetapper.com
Copyright 2007 Frank Sisco
"iPhone Tapper - "A Stranger's Email"
By Frank Sisco, CPA, PFS
(Word count = 1,076 words (plus 12 words f or Across the Media References and 67 words for About the Author)
Most people complain that emails from strangers are annoying enough on a desktop computer or on a laptop but they can be extra aggravating on cell phones. The smaller screen size makes it more time-consuming to scroll through the list. And just as you finally get to the meat of the email, you get disappointed that it is another solicitation to earn millions of dollars by helping a third world king's nephew recover the family fortune or it is the eight plea that day to forward along the long superstitious chain so that you will escape the harm destined to befall all your relatives, friends, and even bus acquaintances. The iPhone is a cut above other cell phones due to (a) the crystal-clear good-size screen and (b) the quick way to "flick" up or down the list with your finger.
I confess I don't really get bothered by strangers' emails. I'm trying to embrace the stuff that ordinarily stresses, as a way to lighten up and see things differently. After all, when I was a kid, I always talked to strangers, despite adult warnings.
I get tons of emails. I used to set my AOL spam filter to high or medium to screen out more junk but the filter was sometimes catching emails from friends and clients, and then I'd have to check my spam folder anyway and apologize to people I knew who got lumped in with the hawkers of easy-to-get mortgages, perfect pedicures, and incredible toilet boil cleaners. I wonder why in the last two weeks, I've been getting bombarded by ads for invisible bras and college degrees for working moms, or cash for selling my gold and jewelry, and the newest diet solution. I guess those solicitors overpaid for the mailing list that had me on it, or they are just overreaching in their marketing.
In my present earnestness to be a little more light-hearted and devil-may-care following my recent heart scare (see ATM1), I've taken a new approach to these emails. After all, the sender is someone's son or daughter, or husband or wife. Probably not a mean-spirited vindictive terrorist but rather a person just trying to be a good employer or good employee. Who knows maybe the LensDoctor can really take out the scratches and he reads his 5-year old the Cat in the Hat at bedtime. So, I'm not frowning at the emails, even when I'm checking emails on my iPhone. I'm being more forgiving and trying to see it from their side. I'm smiling at the scams that beg me to claim my ten million dollar lottery prize or to save a family in return for a cool twenty mill or just email back to them my social security number and bank account number so they can update their records. I've been appreciating the emails' creativity and overlooking the poor the third-grade grammar and the reckless spelling. I'm trying to glean from the 271 junk emails in eight days the ideas and trends that shape our lives. Trying to view these emils as just another fact of life to cruise through. Why not be light about it?
Anyway, there I am early Sunday afternoon standing on the long line, bored, at Linen n Things in New Rochelle, NY. I figure there will be about 8 or 9 minutes to kill so I pull out my iPhone, tap on the mail virtual button and call up the list of incoming emails, including those from Saturday. I'm flicking through the list, sampling a couple of the wrinkle-reduction emails and the get-your-credit-score-instantly emails for clues about new techniques on how to make the boring become exciting, when I see an email from "Mr. JH West." It caught my eye and I felt a slight chill in my back. I had a visceral reaction to the email from this stranger that said in the subject "Frank Sisco, Sr. Navy Documents/Photos." Wow! This email is about my father and probably about the essay I wrote called "Among the Papers"(see ATM2) three months ago that recounted my very positive experience of discovering stuff related to my father's time in the Navy SeaBees in the Pacific. I recalled being blown away by the newspaper photo that showed him among thousands of returning GIs standing on a ship and waving. I tapped the email heading and began to read the email from this stranger. Here is what Mr. JH West wrote me on Monday 1/5/08:
1/5/08 - 4:09am - "Greetings: I just chanced upon your father's Navy Documents andPhotos on http://www.videovoom.com/, and I enjoyed every word immensely. Although bittersweet, it stands as a magnificent tribute toy our father, who must be a remarkable, much-loved man. Thank you for sharing this moving story with us; it was a rare treat to be allowed to have a glimpse into the life of such an outstanding gentleman, especially when presented with such love, admiration and pride through the gentle kindness of his son. With best wishes for a healthy, happy new year to your family and you, JH West"
I was shocked to have gotten such a powerful warm email. Should I doubt it as a ruse? Should I question his motives and consider it the opening salvo to a string of relentless emails that will brainwash me into monetary bondage. I don't think so, and so when I returned home I sent him a response after calling my parents and talking with others. He then wrote this back:
1/7/08 - 3:19am - "Hi, Mr. Sisco -- I'm so pleased to learn that you shared my sentimentswith your family -- but the pleasure was truly mine. I'm sure many others feel the same as I, but just haven't taken a moment to write to tell you. There's a beaming sense of pride and selflessness in your presentation that makes the story you've related all the more uplifting. Most sincerely, JH West"
A calm easy feeling enveloped me even until now. The comfort of strangers can be awesome. Luckily, I had not filtered him out or skipped past his email. I would not have gotten his gracious thank-you email, nor would I have discussed it with my father, rekindling the love that was present the day we went through his papers in connection with preparing certain legal documents. Hey, all you strangers out there! I'm looking for you. I'm opening your emails, hoping for more treasures, like those from Mr. JH West.
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AcrossTheMedia references:
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(ATM 1) - http://www.lifeandmoney.com/1newlifeandmoneyfiles030707/articles/Article_FinancialPlanningMP_LyingInAHospitalBed.htm
(ATM 2) -
http://www.videosofpoets.com/FilesForPeopleUniqueAndUnusual/PeopleUniqueAndUnsual_
FrankSiscoSr_NavyDays/People_UniqueAndUnusual_FrankSiscoSrNavyDocumentsAndPhotos_101507.htm_MainPage.htm
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About the author:
Frank Sisco is a businessman who loves finding ways to enhance life through personal technology, and writing about it. You can contact Frank by email at ideasmoney@aol.com or by phone at 914.589.1013 in order to express your opinion or send in questions, comments, or videoclips. Frank and his wife and daughter reside in New Rochelle, NY. For prior iPhone Tapper columns, please visit: www.iphonetapper.com.
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