Henry Hughes

For twenty-two years I ran the help desk for a school district in Essex County, which means I have explained how to reset a password roughly ten thousand times. I never minded. The trick is to go slow, let the other person keep their hands on the device, and write things down in their own words.

Most of the people I work with now want a few specific things: a video call with grandkids in Denver, getting photos off the phone, reading the newspaper on an iPad without squinting, or spotting a scam text. We pick one or two goals per visit and practice them until they feel normal. I also keep a vegetable garden, so if you have a porch or backyard, I am glad to spend part of a visit on tomatoes and herbs.

I live in Glen Ridge, a short walk from the train station, and help out at the Glen Ridge Public Library tech table on the first Saturday of the month.