In Mike I Trust

I know lots of people. LOTS. Then, of course, there is the inner circle. They know who they are.

From social acquaintance to lifelong confidant… Everybody has a place. A spot. A role.

True friendship is rare. Loyalty. Honesty. Consistency.

With all honesty and complete transparency, I admit to all within earshot. Or, view. Or, whatever.

I trust few people.

There. I said it. It’s true. I trust Vikki. I trust Sophia. I trust Miles. There are few others, VERY few, to whom I extend absolute, unwavering trust. I’m not scattering blame upon the rest of the world. It’s my character flaw and I claim it without apology. It’s the way I’m wired. Trust comes reluctantly. Hesitantly. Infrequently.

Now – THAT said – there are SOME folks I trust with certain “areas of life.” Don’t say it… the hypocrisy is spray-painted on the wall of life in capital, neon colors. I see it. I hear it. I know it.

In my defense, just because somebody is an expert with scrambled eggs, that doesn’t mean they know a dadgum thing about Windsor knots or tire rotation.

This is NOT about what folks know or don’t know. This is about celebrating and honoring those I trust… about whatever. These are wonderful people. Individuals that have made, and, continue to make, a meaningful, worthwhile, significant impact on my life. In whatever way and on whatever path God has chosen to place them, I am better for their presence. Their wisdom. Their patience. Their grace. Their friendship.

Over the course of the next how-many-ever-it-takes, I’ll be celebrating and thanking some of the folks I trust. I hope you’ll stick around for the adventure. You may find your name in the spotlight.

We begin with Mike. Not Michael. Not Mikey. His name might be Michael, I don’t know. But, to most of the world, it’s Mike. Mr. Fenley, actually.

I applied to be a traffic reporter with WSJS radio. I had an interview with Mike Fenley. He was the Program Director and host of the afternoon drive program.

I think he immediately recognized I knew nothing about radio and, probably, even less about traffic. He asked if I knew anything about football. I told him I had seen a game, or two. He requested a demo track.

I went to Craven Hall at Maple Springs United Methodist Church, plugged in a microphone and proceeded to record myself trying to call a football game that didn’t exist.

I returned to the station, handed him the CD and waited. He listened to about ten seconds and said, “did you just go home and record this?”

“I went to church and recorded it.”

He laughed and offered me a job as the sideline reporter for the high school football season.

So, it began.

A year later, he called and said, in a VERY fatherly way, “Jeffrey, you need insurance. I know it’s not what you want, but, we’re hiring a receptionist at the station. I think you should apply. And, you would have insurance.”

I did, and, several interviews later, I was seated at the front desk at 875 West Fifth Street.

Eventually, there was an opportunity to join “Glenn Scott and the Waking Crew,” in the Producer role.

Mike Fenley made it happen. Again.

He taught me how to record sound “in the real world.” He taught me about the importance of consistent naming conventions with audio files. He taught he how to NOT air a UNC game and an NC State game (Not the same game, different games.) on the same station, at the same time.

Eventually, I was allowed to create a weekly feature “about anything related to football” for our high-school-football-game-of-the-week preshow. He trusted me with “The Yard Sale” on Saturday mornings. “Sportsline” on Thursday nights. And… TA DA! I got to fill in for Glenn Scott, during the morning show, when Glenn took a vacation day. (THAT was intimidating AND exciting AND a story for another day.)

Countless conversations. Radio 101 memos left on the desk. How to stop sales reps from calling me at ridiculously late hours. How to deal with irate advertisers and confuddled listeners.

Wisdom about work. Perspective about life. Whom I could trust. Around whom I should tread lightly. A great many things.

Mike Fenley, Glenn Scott, Dick Edwards and Smith Patterson are the folks responsible for 99.999% of what I know about broadcasting. The remaining 0.001% was a mixture of good fortune and dumb luck.

Anything good I’ve managed to do while sitting behind a microphone is directly attributable to Mike Fenley. WSJS. Schoolhouse Radio at the Career Center. Back to WSJS. Awards. Applause. Opportunities. Headlines.

Along the way, we became friends. He married Carolyn. I married Vikki. He and Carolyn joined the choir at Maple Springs. He read scripture at my mother’s celebration of life service. He’s a permanent reference on my resume.

Throughout my most recent adventure with WSJS, I was frequently told, “You need a mentor… someone you trust.”

Well, right back to it – I don’t trust many folks. I especially don’t trust people that know less than I know. I mean, really? What’s the point of that? If I’m going to have assistants or coaches, shouldn’t they be smarter than me? As former Wake Forst Football Coach Jim Grobe said, “when it comes to coaches, I should be the dumbest guy in the room.”

The powers-that-be suggested everybody. “What about him?”

“Nope.”

“What about her?”

“I don’t think so.”

“What about…?”

“No. Nobody. I don’t want a mentor. I’m 53. (54-55-56) I’m not a beginner.”

“Who do you trust?”

I like questions I can answer! “Mike Fenley.” Apparently, that was the wrong answer. “I trust Mike.”

Eye rolls and heavy breaths followed. They didn’t like my suggestion. What a shock.

“He knows what he is doing. He’s smart. He has good sense. He knows more than me. You want someone to help me along the way? Mike Fenley. I’ll listen to whatever he says.”

The conversation unfolded in identical fashion, hundreds of times. Truly. They kept asking and I kept answering. I held firm.

When it’s right, it’s right. When it’s obvious, it’s obvious. When you know, you know.

Radio. Broadcasting. Growing up. Being a good person. I trust Mike. Always.

Mike Fenley. He’s the one. In Mike I trust.