The Power of Reciprocity 69 Chapter 3 The Power of Reciprocity Kindness works. It's like a boomerang; it ALWAYS comes back to you, even if not from the person you gave it to. --Gayle King Dr. James "Jim" Erickson, a vice chancellor emeritus at the University of California, Riverside, has countless people who fall over themselves for the chance to return some of the many kindnesses he has bestowed on them so naturally and so casually throughout the years. While he does it without thought of re- payment, he has an enormous reserve of reciprocity--a line-up of supporters waiting at his virtual door step. When the University of California considered calling him out of semi-retirement to become the interim chancellor of the Riverside campus, an outpouring of support came from com- munity members as they rallied to endorse him. Letters, e-mails, 69