Who you are!

Looking back over my life I realize others helped form me.   I was building our last home when I realized that 30 years ago this building seed had been planted.  I was hired by my best friend’s dad.  Without realizing it I watched his life.  He was a General Contractor. He built with no agreement other than a handshake. He was a hands-on builder. I rode with him to jobs.  Every day he stopped at a country store and bought a cold coke. He knew it would be warm at dinner time (Lunch time now).

(Today's pictures: Amazing things in life that are real)

I learned to open a coke with a hammer handle leveraged on my thumb. But it wasn't the coke deal, it was his approach to building. He loved his work.  He began his work life on a farm, worked in the mill building pallets and whatever was needed. Later he became a builder. He always remembered the folks he was building for, had worked for their money and deserved good return when they spent it. I never once saw him hide something or misrepresent his work. He never made a big deal of it, he was just honest.

My last connection with Luke was to build an addition to a mobile home. His only requirement was that I must hire his granddaughter Wendy,  as a carpenter. I jumped at it and had a great time. Wendy was a worker. She did not pursue the building business, but she could have.

Luke's first wife passed and he remarried.  It was a happy marriage also. Luke's life did not have a story book ending. Dementia came to visit and stayed.  The end was long, and tough on the family.  The brunt of the care fell to his wife, although the family helped. During that time all his holdings were converted to substantial cash savings.

At his death, the 'Will' was not as expected. It had been changed apparently in his demented state. The last wife inherited the entire estate.

BUT I also learned in my later years I could learn.  I was talking to Luke's Son afterwards and I brought up the subject, thoroughly expecting Vondale to be upset. I don't know why I was surprised, I had learned to expect the unexpected from him. 

His take on the whole matter, no anger or disgust. He said, "Jack, he could not have hired or had better care  in his last years, she took good care of him."

So in the end, I also learned from Luke's son, Life happens.

Nite Shipslog

I never knew Luke to have a new car nor a new truck. I remember he had a 1947 Fleet-line because Vondale would drive it sometimes when we double dated.