The Rich Man and the Roofer

[Peter]

I was engaged in they capacity as a carpenter to do some repairs to an outdoor deck on a summer home in a high end resort town. I arrived at a very nice home in a stylish neighborhood. It wasn’t particularly large, but the values in this location ran high. This particular house was easily worth well over a million dollars.

When I arrived in the late morning there was a lone roofer hard at work, finishing up re-roofing one side of the home.

The lawns were impeccably kept, green and lush. Likewise the gardens were professionally maintained, in full bloom and looking very beautiful. I got a glimpse indoors when I introduced myself to the owner. The house was impeccably furnished and appointed. In the driveway there was a late model SUV.

I was going about my business when the roofer came down from his perch to fetch the last of the needed shingles. He had only to complete one side of one small dormer, a task he could easily accomplish before the afternoon was out. He took a minute and sat down on the edge of the deck where I was working to slake his thirst from a bottle of cold water.

He was a crusty looking character, as roofers are wont to be, and a bit on the older side for the type of hot, heavy, hard physical work he was doing. We were within speaking distance, but we didn’t speak to one another. I continued about my business and I assumed in a few minutes he would continue about his.

About that time the owner stepped from the house on his way to some social appointment or other, and he made a comment, perhaps at least partially in jest, to the roofer about taking a break at the prices he was charging to do the job.

The roofer took a long swig off his ice-water before he spoke…. Then, without rising, he replied:

“I’ll tell you what…. I’ll let you use my tools, my ladders, my air guns, my staging, everything……and if you climb up there and finish that one side of that one dormer I won’t charge you one single cent for my labor for the entire job.”

The owner stammered as he declined and retreated, departing swiftly in his shiny SUV.

The crusty old roofer cast a knowing wink and a smile my way. I had to smile back.

True Story!

Peter

[luis]

Where is the " Like" button ? Well, like like , real world.
Nothing to do with your story but I remember sometnig that I like to share.
Some years ago , some guys I know in the marina (with big boats and money that they cant spend till they die) ask me one question : how do I manage to go out on my B31 with my wife and my two kids (10 and 16 years at that time) and ride a week or two going up river or going out on the sea , sleeping and cooking on the boat, sometimes only coming to the marina for diesel, water and buy more food ? And their question was because some of their wives and kids only acept to go out on the morning and return on the afternoon and one or two times a month. As for today with two grandsons (1,5 and 3 years) and the husband of my daughter and the girlfriend of my son (now 30 and 36 years old) instead of 4 people we are 8 in total but the answer is the some : teaching them how to handle and repair and clean and do almost everything on the boat, showing them the freedom and the good life we share on the boat and making them understand the value of money, earning some for jobs they perform and, keeping the familly together on the love we have for our boat, for the pleasure we take when we are there. Thats real life and is not for sale. Its something money cant buy.
All the best

[Peter]

I figured that this group being a bunch of "Hands on" and "Get it done and do it right" guys would appreciate this story even if it had nothing to do with Bertrams or boats.

Thanks for the reply.

Peter

[Rawleigh]

You are a rich man in the best way Luis!!

[Tony Meola]

Luis

How true

[IRGuy]

Luis... Very well said!