BUILDING HIS OWN HOME

I was talking to a home builder yesterday, and I shared a story with him that I hadn’t thought about in a very long time. While I don’t recall where I first heard it, the details are, (for some unknown reason), engraved in my mind.

There was at one time a major builder in the southeastern United States which employed hundreds of workers in several cities. And among their twelve or fifteen first line supervisors was a man named “John Cooper.”

Whereas, John was known for efficiency and cost control, and had a good reputation, he had somehow managed to keep a little secret over the course of thirty years with the company. While he had maintained a fine reputation, his character left something to be desired.

And although he never directly profited from his shenanigans, nor was that his motive, he tended to “cut corners” whenever he had the opportunity. He used slightly sub-standard materials, and he pushed his workers to complete subdivisions in record time; (which, of course, led to issues with the quality of the finished work).

The years dropped like grains of sand in an hourglass, and John was finally nearing retirement. With just months left before his three decades’ long vocation became a memory, he received a work order from the president of the company; something which had never occurred in all his years as a first line supervisor.

The house was to be built on a beautiful two acre tract of land in the Smokey Mountains of North Carolina. He was afforded as many men as the job required, and then some, and he was informed that cost was not a consideration.

Pt. 2

However, as was common for him, John pushed his men to complete the home in record time, and insured that slightly sub-standard materials were used in the building of the house.

Finally, with weeks to spare, he notified the president of his company that the house was completed, and ready for occupancy. Having received the word from his subordinate that the work was done “Mr. Hargrave” informed John that he would meet him on a given day to do a “walk through.”

Thus, on Wednesday afternoon of the next week John drove the fifty miles which separated him from the home which he had recently completed. However, when he drove onto the property, he was hardly prepared for the sight which greeted him.

The lower roof and porch were decked out with ribbons, and a banner hung from the lamp post. But what absolutely “floored” him was the one hundred plus people standing in the front yard.

Now, as his car drew nearer to the house, he could read the wording on the banner.

“Congratulations John! Happy Retirement! Welcome to your new home!”

 

And as the unscrupulous contractor parked his car, and stepped out of the vehicle, the company’s president strode over to him, and handed him the keys to his brand new home.

William McDonald, PhD