Because I Can… the random thoughts of Marc Scott

The funny thing about being on the radio is that you never really know who is out there.  You sit in a small studio alone, and, mostly, you just sort of talk to yourself.  I often wonder if anybody is listening.  Are there 5 people?  500 people?  5000 people?  50,000 people?  It’s all a mystery to me.

I do my best with each show to feel like a friend.  I want people to turn the radio on weekday afternoons and feel like I’m talking with them.  That’s key by the way.  With them.  Not to them.  I want it to be more conversational.  Like I’m standing beside them at the water cooler, or riding with them in the passenger seat, or handing them ingredients while they prepare the family dinner in the kitchen.  If I can accomplish that, if I can be their friend, then I believe I’ve done my job.  I’ve taken the 4 hours that I spend reaching out to people, and I’ve kept you company.  Maybe I’ve made you laugh, maybe smile, maybe think.  Hopefully, in some way, I’ve engaged you.

Sometimes I get feedback.  Usually it comes in the form of a phone call.  I will say something that hits a chord with somebody, so they call the studio and we talk about it.  Other times I know people are out there because I’ll ask them to vote in a web poll or check out a link on our site (ckpcfm.com) and I’ll see a spike in our web traffic.  From to time to time a person will even catch me on the street and mention something I said during my show.  Outside of that, it’s a mystery… who is out there and how many there may be.

I came into work on Thursday and went to my bunk like I always do.  We have this wall of ancient filing cabinets in the building.  Each announcer has a drawer (bunk) to keep their stuff.  I have a lamp, a jacket, my binder of show prep and a headset.  Oh, and I keep a package of Halls in there too.  Only, Thursday when I opened my bunk I found something else.  A container and a card.

I opened the card and it said “Thank You” on the front.  Somebody had taken the time to send me a thank you card!  Just when you start to wonder if there are people out there, and if they are actually listening, somebody took the time to say thank you to me for what I do!  The container was filled with cupcakes and two of the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever experienced in my life, and I consider myself to be a connoisseur in this area!  It made my day!

I took those cupcakes and went on a quick tour of the station.  I offered them to a couple of the other announcers, my boss (scoring points) and the two people that were in the news department.  All of them immediately smiled.  All of them were thankful.  It’s amazing how something so simple can turn somebody’s day around.

There was a business card inside of the envelope that came with the cupcakes and cookies.  In big, bold letters it said, “R.A.K. Attack”  Random Act Of Kindness.  On the back side of it was a link to a local church, the Freedom House. (freedomhouse.ca)

We could all stand to be the recipient of a R.A.K. Attack from time to time I think.  More importantly, when is the last time you performed a R.A.K. Attack of your own?  Maybe it’s time you found your next victim!