Stories at Work by Indranil Chakraborty

Author:Indranil Chakraborty [Chakraborty, Indranil]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9789353052065
Publisher: Penguin Random House India Private Limited
Published: 2018-08-10T00:00:00+00:00

9

Story Listening

IT’S 7 DECEMBER 2014. Huddled in a soundproof recording booth at the Grand Central Terminal, New York, John Heyn asks his uncle, Herman Heyn, ‘How did you decide to become a street corner astronomer?’

John, an ordinary American citizen, is using a booth set up by an organization called StoryCorps to record an interview that can help him understand his uncle better and later serve as a memory. StoryCorps is an American non-profit organization whose mission is to record, preserve and share the stories of Americans from all backgrounds and beliefs.

Uncle Herman started by describing how his science teacher, Miss Wicker, triggered his love for the stars. As he narrated his life journey, he said:

Well, you know, I have always had what I call an ‘education bone’. I got a degree in elementary education in general science, but I decided I didn’t want to teach in a classroom because of my learning disabilities. I couldn’t remember kids’ names. I couldn’t even get organized enough to write them down.

And so I went into various kinds of jobs. Each time I’d start a new job, I’d say, ‘I’m going to stay with it. I’m going to get benefits and vacation and retirement and raises.’ But three years later, I wouldn’t be able to stand it anymore, I had to get out of there and get another job. I had so many jobs, I can’t even make a list of them, but it would be a very long list.

And then, one beautiful night in November 1987, the moon was up, Jupiter was up, and I had nothing on my schedule. And so I decided, heck, I’m going to take my telescope out on the street and invite people to look at the stars. And as I was walking out the door, I said, ‘Oh, I’ll take a tip hat with me, too, and see what happens.’

I set up the telescope at Fells Point, and I had people looking at the moon and Jupiter. I think that first night I made $10. Then I went back the next night and made $40, and I moved the hat a little closer. I said, ‘Well, if I can make money at this, maybe I can do it full-time.’

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