Built but five short years ago the building which houses the flooring department in which I now spend my work days has had to be repaired more than once. And once again it finds itself in need of more attention as just the other very early and very rainy morning I found myself face to face with yet another victim of the mindset of which I have just spoke.
The gallon of water was spreading wide across the floor of my flooring department and directly above it was the bright yellow rain slicker from which it all had dripped. The hood and disbelieving blank stare I made eye contact with gave its occupant a rather gnome like appearance and before I could even query I heard….
“I haven’t even been outside yet.”…..
Tom from the neighboring shipping/receiving department blurted this remark out as I gave him the silent raised eyebrow question.
“Then where the hell ya been Tom?” was my obvious response bringing the most unexpected answer of……
“Standing at my computer desk.” he said.
And so I went to witness myself the six foot wide cascade of water flowing from the twice fixed leaky roof down the concrete wall with the intensity and beauty of a calendar picture waterfall…..its ultimate destination being poor Toms computer.
I do not believe the last two guys who fixed the roof are any more entitled to the title “tradesman” than the guys who originally installed the roof only five short years ago. But I do believe that if they were as good at doing what they do as our shipper/receiver is at what he does….then maybe he wouldn’t need to work inside with a raincoat.
