Maggie's Farm

We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.

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Thursday, April 30. 2009

Jimmy the Plumber

I was working at home today, and took a stroll at lunchtime up the driveway for a quiet smoke and to give the horses some carrots. A new black F-150 pulls in. A well-muscled and well-tattoed guy leans out and says "Got a FedEx for ya." He rummages under the Lear top to find my package.


"Where's your truck?" I ask. "In the shop today." "Why all the plumbing tools back there?" I ask. "I'm a plumber." He pulls out his card for me.


I'm always interested in stories like this. Jimmy R. bought this FedEx route: he owns it. Three trucks, three drivers. His real job is plumbing contractor, but he helps the drivers on his route when a problem comes up. He started out as an apprentice plumber after getting out of the Corps. The man is a double entrepreneur, and Jimmy is a part of the America the libs neither know nor comprehend. He is also the part of America that the Dems are determined to damage.


"You need a plumber, you call me" he instructs as he leaves. Stickers on the back windshield of the Lear top: "Mossberg," an image of a leaping stag, and the US Marine Corp logo.


Man, I thought, I love this country just the way it is.

Posted by The Barrister in Our Essays, The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation at 15:02 | Comments (4) | Trackbacks (0)

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Right on, this country is fine just the way it is. Jimmy and many, many others similar are my kinda guys. Unlike liberals and other Blame America Firsters, the Jimmys of this world always root for the home team. Hooray for the good guys!
#1 greenmtnpunter on 2009-04-30 15:34 (Reply)
Outstanding short post.

Man, I thought, I love this country just the way it is.

And the man with the cool swagger wants to transform this country in to the image of what... GB, France ( hire a Polish plumber ) or Cuba ( great health care ).
#2 sean on 2009-04-30 20:44 (Reply)
Cuba has great health care? They say they have great health care. Is that why half their population has fled to Florida? With nothing but the clothes on their backs? And all their buildings are falling down ... and they have nothing but old, clapped-out cars. Somebody's telling *porkies" as Inspector Frost used to say.

Marianne
#3 Marianne Matthews on 2009-04-30 23:11 (Reply)
There was a best-seller a few years ago, "The Millionaire Next Door". It was mostly about trademen starting young and staying dedicated to problem-solving.
#4 buddy larsen on 2009-04-30 23:56 (Reply)

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