“I started as an auto mechanic. Eventually earning $22 an hour.
But my tool box cost me over $50,000. Plus the cost of insuring it.
I actually liked the work itself.
But not the pressure to do the least possible on a job, not the most.
The push was to get the car in and out fast. And as many out the door as possible.
I was there 25 years...
And one day, I came to work, and I said,
'No more. No satisfaction. No time to do a job I can be proud of? I quit.''"
“So what did you do then?”
“I worked for a manufacturer of sail boats. The pay was only $13 an hour, but at least I didn’t have to bring my own tools.
I liked the work.
The boss had the plans created here, but the boats were built in China. A question of cost. He paid $2000 per boat. Cheap. And then sold it for double.
But it turned out not so cheap!
There were so many things wrong with the boats when they arrived. So many things we had to patch up.
But our job couldn’t change the fact that they were cheaply made. All our patch up work could do was to deal with the obvious problems.
By the time the boss paid us, his profit was down from $2000 to $200. He screamed. He ranted. He raved! But to no avail...
Just like Humpty Dumpty, the business had a big fall. 'And all the kings horses and all the kings men' couldn’t put the business together again.
The boss had to close shop.
Maybe when the economy drops, and jobs have to be created here, maybe then people will be given the time to do a proper job. A job they can be proud of.”
“Is there anything you always wanted to do?”
“Yes, a Marine Architect. I tried it, I enrolled. But after 65 you don’t learn as quickly.
I decided to leave it.”
How sad that he didn't quit and try earlier.
