Hello sir, my name is Fred and thank you for allowing me to help out on your project. I like doing volunteer work for our military veterans that have served our country. What is it that you would like me to help you with?

Come inside Fred, I’m Jim and this is my wife Sandra. Hello Sandra, let’s go into the bathroom.

I need the water lines run to my new vanity and the surround needs to be installed around the bathtub okey. I’ll get started right away. This is my mom Linda, hello Linda nice to meet you. If there’s anything I can do to help I’ll be right here ok thank you. I quickly removed the vanity so I could fix the plumbing and than stated framing in around the bathtub so I could install the Sheetrock. As soon as I got started I noticed Jim, arguing with his mom because I had demoed everything. He was acting very foolish at that point i knew that he didn’t trust me nor my experience. I heard him say there is no way he can put everything back in one day. Instead of trying to help me, he was raising cane. That I point I was starting to question myself why i even volunteered to help this person if he didn’t trust me. Eventually his mother came into the restroom and asked me, if I would be able to move the plumbing install the vanity back and finish the tub liner today ? Yes mam!

I will finish before I leave here today it will be functioning. I noticed her son acting up, his mom also noticed. What is wrong with you son?

Why is he acting this way?

Let me go talk to him, okay.

She returned after a few minutes.

His dad told him that it would take you several weeks to do all this work.

He is worried that you tore out more than you can handle in one day.

Is his father a contractor?

No ! he fixes air conditioners. Well than i know my job and I don’t know his. I know what I can do in one day alone, so please tell him to relax I got this. Thank you Fred, i watched her go over and talk to her son and he went off on her. I was getting very upset over the way he was acting. I wanted to leave, but I also wanted to prove him wrong and that his dad knew nothing about what I was about to do for them. Instead of helping me he raised hell the whole day. The day was about over and I had the plumbing complete and the vanity installed the wall around the tub was framed in. Sheetrock hung taped, floated and skimmed, and the surround installed. Not to mention I had hung Sheetrock around the vanity there was an area that I decided to not repair only because he had no confidence in me. I decided to leave it and let him get mad. I explained to his mom that because he was acting like he was I decided to let him get madder, she laughed. Well he deserves it you were nice enough to drive over two hour and accomplished all this work and he doesn’t appreciate it, let him worry about it. I had finished picking up all my tools and when he went into the bathroom and seen how I left a piece of Sheetrock sticking out he went bazaar. I couldn’t help but laugh, because I knew it was a 30 minute fix. He was hollaring and raising cane. Sandra, I can fix that in no time but because of the way he is acting. He has disrespected and treated you badly, I decided to let him jump up and down and hollar. I have already done everything he said couldn’t be done because his dad said so. I’ll be back in a few days just to show him that i could of fixed it while I was here, I don’t mind helping people out. he didn’t trust me from the very start why did he call on me anyway Well Fred, i called you for them. My friend Casey, told me how nice and great work you did for them. It took him and his dad over two weeks to in stall the tub and still wasn’t functioning. I don’t understand i have never seen him act this way. If you never come back I certainly don’t blame you. I laughed Sandra, I normally just volunteer one day to any veteran and his family. To thank them for their services. In this case I’m going to leave and come back another day just to show him I’m not a fly by night and when I’m done in less than an hour for something he believes is not repairable. He will eat crow.

Sandra , I’ll be back in three days. I know it’s over a 2 hour drive, but it will be worth it to me. I can complete this project in 30 minutes or less.

If I were you I would not even come back, I can’t believe instead of helping you he acted like a jerk. It’s ok I just have to let him stress for a few days. Sandra, replies your bad, than she gave me her phone number and when I decided to return, I called and told her I was on my way. She agreed to meet me there. Several hours later I arrived said hello to Sandra and went straight to work I cut the drywall and taped and floated, skimmed with 5 minute easy sand, sanded and walked out. Sandra laughed you showed him, he was mad the whole time saying it could not be repaired. Well they can paint it now I’m done with my part. To be honest if I have one more client act the way he did towards me after I have worked all day for free I will retire and not help. I will scout out my surroundings the next volunteer job before I get started. Sandra, replied back, not everyone are ungrateful as my son. He now knows his dad knew nothing about renovations. I laughed and said, I don’t know air conditioning. She thanked me and we decided to continue being friends. We said goodbye and we parted ways.

On my way home I thought about what Sandra, had said I grinned and said to myself ya she is so right. Not everyone are this ungrateful.

I have heard many times, because of one bad apple, it ruins it for the rest of the people.

I will continue on helping, because if have helped one family that needed my free service for one day. It would be a great experience and challenge just to see there smile. Not a thank you, a smile says it all. A drive to remind me, why I enjoy helping military veterans.

Written By:

Ghostriter

12-1-2024