Mike was one of the few realtors whom I connected with briefly on topics outside of real estate. Just life’s experiences in general. I can’t remember most conversations, but they were really good talks with feel-good laughs.
Every time I have visited our real estate office this past year, hardly anyone would be in the office. I like to sit at the desk closest to the conference room and copier by the reception area. This desk is closest to the desk that Mike would sit. I presumed his stuff was gone because of COVID-19 and he relocated his “office” to work from his home office . As I sat working at my desk, I always wondered how Mike was doing. But never called him to ask either. I kept expecting to see him soon.
Mike, jovial Mike, introduced himself when I joined the real estate office – back around 2017? Ironically, the next time we started talking was due to the real estate office copy machine problems.
The copier technician and I were on the phone for about two hours. After much troubleshooting scenarios between the copier and computers, the copier technician identified the source of the problem and corrected the issue. Then I asked the technician how would I know for sure if the issue was actually resolved? The technician said that aside from my own laptop, the copier problem was resolved if the issue was not repeated with other office computers.
Mike arrived to the office during the end of my telephone conversation with the copier technician. Mike overheard part of the conversation. Mike said to me, something like, “Yea, I had those issues. I don’t have any more problems. My computer just made copies. Maybe it was an issue with your laptop?” I just smiled. I replied with something like, “Yes, I am glad to hear you do not have any issues anymore.” I let him know other realtors reported the same problem he and I had. What I did not let him know, was that he was the “guinea pig” after all that troubleshooting. I had already tested copies from my laptop. Mike just HAPPENED to be that next computer “tester”. The copier technician overheard Mike’s comment and said, problem solved! I told Mike that when he made copies, it confirmed the copier issue was resolved. Mike looked so perplexed, it was comical back then and even today. Mike helped when he did not even know he was helping! I loved how all that transpired that day, the timing – priceless moments.
Had I known Mike was born and raised in San Pedro, CA, that he loved animals, worked for Boeing, this would have opened up so many common topics of conversation. For example, I would have told him, “Mike, since you are from San Pedro and have some background in aircraft, let me recommend a book title ‘Rancho San Pedro’ by Robert C. Gillingham (1961). There's even some local history about a 1910 Air Meet, too! Afterwards, bring your family and take a tour at a museum about Rancho San Pedro history, a place that is like an oasis . . . "
I would have probably learned Mike pronounced the city’s name as San “pea dro” (long “e”). He would have learned I pronounce the city’s name the Spanish way!
One just never knows about a person until it is too late. I learned different things about Mike reading his obituary.
R.I.P Mike Chavez. Say hello to Spanish solder Juan Jose Dominguez and all the other people from the 1800’s who lived on Juan’s territory, the first Southern California 1784 San Pedro Spanish land “grant” of 75,000 acres! The times when San Pedro was pronounced the Spanish way, with a (short “e”). 😊
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