Laughs and Laments with Leah

Laughs and Laments with Leah

By Leah Herburger

Citizen Staff Writer

It started in the little room between the stock room and the sales floor at All Clear Pool and Spa in Elk Grove.

That was my first job ever.

My first job, and my first experience with Jon "Goo"del.

It was that little room that hosted our long chats about life.

Long chats about my business goals, and his desire to someday become a sports broadcaster.

We would laugh about his obsession over Colorado University, and my obsession with life in general.

Sarcastic. I learned through time that Jon has this sarcastic and blunt sense of humor that only a few can appreciate. I learned that I am unfortunately one of those few, and thankfully I can handle it, because three years later, Jon is once again working in a little room right down the hall.

Now he sits in that room, working as the new Sports Editor for the Citizen, beeping me on the intercom, though we are a few feet from each other, to come fix his computer glitches.

It's strange because it seems like only yesterday I was convincing him to apply for a stringer position at the Citizen.

It's strange because it only seems like yesterday, Linda, our boss, was yelling at him for typing his sports stories while on the job at the pool store.

Though strange, it's nice working with him again. His second day on the job, we went to lunch. On our way to get a sandwich at Albertson's, he described some of his ideas for the sports section.

I was blown away by this kid's knowledge of Elk Grove sports, and his creative ideas to cover leagues I never knew existed.

Immediately we were laughing like old times, discussing his goals as his own boss, and my desire to someday take part in the business aspect of the paper.

In between laughing and reminiscing about old times, I asked him what he was going to call his column.

Having a problem finding a creative name for mine, "Goo's Corner" surprisingly