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INDUSTRY MATTERS
“Good grief! We can’t go anywhere without him talking
to someone. He knows everyone; their kids; where they
work. Takes forever talking to them. He even rattles on
with new customers like they’re best friends.”
Again, the engineer looked at him for a long time without
speaking. Eventually he turned his chair and pointed to a
black and white picture of a boy and a man in overalls with
his arm over the boy’s shoulders, beaming from ear to ear.
“That’s my dad,” he said. “He, too, was a plumber.” The
man stared awhile at the picture, picked it up and held
it in his hands. When he turned back to the young man,
tears were in the corners of his eyes. “I was in your
shoes once. I felt the same way as you. Now, let me
share with you what I now know.
“Your father works for you! He sacrificed for you to go
to that college because he too wanted you to get ahead.
He would work late into the night, feeling the tiredness
in his bones and could barely stay awake when running
the sewer machine. And even though his head had just
hit the pillow, he didn’t hesitate to load up and head back
out when needed. He didn’t have time to hurt from the
countless burns, cuts, bruises, bites, and any number
of injuries over the years. He endured discomfort when
most would have called in sick, because he couldn’t.
Time off would have been welcome, but there wasn’t
someone else to pick up the calls. He kept that old
beater running to control overhead costs. I’m sure a
newer vehicle would start easier, use less oil, and the
air conditioning would actually work. He catered to
his customers, building relationships, creating new
ones, always taking care of his base. He was genuinely
concerned for them and their family and would treat
them as his own. Even though he knew he wasn’t going
to get paid, he helped them, because that’s what you
do for people. Sometimes it’s not about the money, but
feeling good from helping those without.
“But he didn’t do it alone,” he continued. “Your mother
held up her end, too. She worried about him, you, bills,
getting paid, whether work would pick up. She saw his
condition and worried for his health. She saw him put
others before himself, and still make time for her and you.
“I used to think my dad was uneducated, as well. Let me
tell you, they both went to a school that was far more
ruthless, intensive, and unforgiving than our alma mater.
And that is the School of Hard Knocks. Life. You don’t get
a grade, there’s no scale, it’s either pass or fail, succeed
or lose, eat or go hungry. Only the most creative,
adaptable, and dedicated graduate from there. And the
cost is incomprehensible.”
April 2019 Volume 25 I Number 2
The engineer fell silent, stared at the picture one last
time and placed it back on the table.
“Now, you showed me some of the lessons he’s learned
in the drawing you rendered today. None of the other
applicants know this and it will take them years to
learn what you’ve been taught. So, because of that, I
would like to offer you the job with the nation’s finest
mechanical engineering firm.”
The young man had been silent and still while the
engineer had been speaking. No one had ever talked to
him this way, and a look of revelation came across his
face. Slowly he stood, extended his hand, and spoke to
the engineer.
“Thank you, but even though it would be a tremendous
opportunity to work for your firm, I believe I need to
continue my education with the best, carry on a tradition
of craftsmanship and pride in a trade. To provide a
service to community. And maybe someday I can be as
knowledgeable as him, pass along the trade, in honour
of him.”
Both men were in tears, and the engineer nodded his
head and spoke as they shook hands. “Now, you get it.
Welcome to the club! The Club of Hard Knocks!” PA
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jerry Rossian grew up in mid-Missouri, working for
his parents’ mobile home sales and service business.
There he learned rudimentary plumbing, electrical,
carpentry, and service work.
After school, he eventually returned to service work
at Frank Schrimpf Plumbing, where he acquired his
journeyman license. But large-scale construction
called to him and he moved on to Central Missouri
Plumbing, a major mechanical and fire protection
contractor, working his way up to foreman. He now
works for Central Electric Power Cooperative as a
facility coordinator, overseeing the maintenance of
facilities and serving as liaison between contractors
for construction projects.
He is a past member of the Jefferson City Missouri
Plumbing Board and is involved with the STEM class
at a local school, where he is a proponent for more
trades-type classes to be taught in schools. To keep
his skills intact, he plumbs houses for friends and
family. This story is a combination of experiences he
has witnessed and shared over the years.
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