The Old Man and the Apprentice

From the moment the check engine light came on, I knew we were going to have a problem. Work is crazy, two-nurses down, while the company is in a period of unprecedented growth. When your work requires you to drive hundreds of miles a week, having one of your vehicles down makes already complicated matters infinitely more so.

Dealerships booked for a month, same for my regular mechanic. Time to reach out to the network, come across “ Big Bob’s Mechanic shop”, and he can take the vehicle on Saturday. Score.

On Saturday I find myself pulling in front of a large tin building with a sign from the 1980’s out in front. No lobby to speak of, but the unmistakable sound of air tools leaking out of the open seams of the building let me know we were in the right place.

Upon opening the homemade door to the tin building, we found ourselves staring at an impressive assortment of tools, situated around a lifted early 2000’s model Mercury Grand Marquis. Underneath the Mercury toiled an old black man seated on a stool alongside a much younger man leveraging his stronger body for the job at hand.

We received an invitation to sit down from the old man without so much as him breaking his concentration. The work continued. The old man instructing the young one, occasionally getting up to apply a new tool or technique to what had become an impediment to progress. However, what was really happening was the old man applying his own leverage, his decades of experience. This was the stuff that the young man could never learn from a book.

It was beautiful.

Some minutes passed before the men settled on giving themselves a break from their current task, and learn more about the newest problem that needed a solution. The man looked to be in his late sixties, clad in his black T-shirt and overalls, portly but possessing the frame of a physically powerful man. Even if his best days were behind him, you knew he had the fabled old man strength for when he needed it. His visage was one of kindness and genuineness. He has clearly spent more time laughing than frowning, enjoying his food, and loving his friends and family.

The apprentice was young, not much older than my oldest son. He was exactly where he wanted to be. Couldn’t quite find his way through the correct university program, but once he started the automotive technology program, he made all A’s and B’s. His passion for his profession surrounded him like an aura.

This was fantastic, screw the car, I had to talk to these men.

The old man proceeded to tell a story that is worthy of its own novel. The theme of his story was one of starting from the bottom, working hard, and with some help from his own friends and mentors; living his dream. He learned of his mechanical aptitude early, and then skill stacked his way into being the kind of person who can diagnose and repair a car via phone call.

He spent years going through employees, some good, some bad. The problem was one of finding a successor. He knew that one day he would no longer be able to do this work, what then? Here stood a man who built a business based on the skill of his hands and knowledge in his mind. The possibility of watching all of this go to waste one day surely occupied many hours of thought over the years.

Then he found the apprentice, the real one. Perhaps the one that was always destined to come along. He could learn from the old man while having the benefits of all of his resources. We could tell that they both had visions of the apprentice growing this business far beyond what the older man has done. His legacy would be passed on; his life’s work continued by a worthy successor.

Being able to share this experience with my bride and these men set the tone for my whole day. This was a manifestation of the beauty that can be found in humanity. More precisely this was a manifestation of the beauty found in God’s plan, sometimes our biggest problem is just getting out of His way. What was once thought of as just having to wake up early after a grueling 12 days in a row, became an experience that has forever enriched my life. Ah, there is that plan thing again.

There is so much wisdom, and affirmation to be mined from this experience. It is my sincere hope that my recollection does it the justice it deserves. The bottom line is that every decision provides the opportunity to put more good or evil into the world. From the good that was passed on to the old man that allowed him to live his dream, to his passing it forward to his worthy apprentice. This is what the world needs more of.

I don’t have anything else to say for now. Thanks for reading, as always. Until next time. Jack.