Delivering bad news

I interviewed a forensic death investigator yesterday.
Laura Grimes-Gould is a former CIS investigator.
Now she works for our coroner investigating deaths.
She determines how, when and often why someone died.
It must be fascinating work if some times grisly.
Particularly if a body is already decomposing.
That’s not the toughest part of Laura’s work.
She has to tell their loved ones that they are dead.
Not by phone. Laura goes to see them in person.
She and her boss, Harry Harman, feel this is important.
It must be done with compassion and respect for the family.
If the family is out of state, Laura calls the coroner there.
She arranges for someone to tell the family, with compassion.
Many of us can identify with what Laura has to do.
I remember the first time I went to get a dead boy's photo.
The authorities had not yet notified the boy’s mother.
I was the one who brought her the bad news.
Delivering bad news isn’t fun. But it must be done.
You may have to discipline your child. Use compassion.
You may have to discipline an employee. Use compassion.
You may have to fire an employee. Use compassion.
Whatever you must do, follow Laura’s example.
Show compassion and respect for the other person.
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P.S. An invitation for readers in the Lexington area.
Our annual Chronicle Open House will be Saturday.
Come by 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. for food and holiday cheer.
It’s at our office, 131 Swartz Rd., Lexington.
We're just off U.S.1 near the Lexington library.
I’ll be glad to autograph any of my books for you.
They make great Christmas gifts. Hope to see you then.

TGIF: How to say "Happy birthday"

Pat McBride used to bake birthday cakes for us.
Pat worked with us at the Philadelphia Bulletin.
When one of us had a birthday, Pat baked.
Her speciality: A Harvey Wallbanger cake.
I made one this week for our crew at the Chronicle.
It was my wife’s (our publisher’s) birthday.
Here’s Pat’s recipe, with one small amendment.

Harvey Wallbanger cake
1 pkg. Duncan Hines Yellow Cake Mix Deluxe
3-oz pkg. vanilla instant pudding
4 eggs
4 oz. oil
2 oz. vodka
2 oz. Galliano
6 oz. orange juice
1/4 lb butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup Galliano
Preheat over to 350 degrees. Grease and lightly flour bundt pan. Make batter with first seven ingredients and pour into a bundt pan. Bake 50 minutes. While cake is baking, melt butter in saucepan. Add sugar and stir over moderate heat until sugar dissolves. Mix in Galliano and set aside. Remove cake from oven and punch 100 holes in top with a toothpick. Pour warm sauce over cake, cover and allow sauce to penetrate over night. Turn cake onto serving tray and slice. Pour coffee. Enjoy.
Pat shared this recipe with us. Thanks, Pat.
Next week we’ll talk about finding friendly business models.
See you then.