You Consider Me the Young Apprentice...
Previously, Chapter 26: Sometimes All You Need Is a Thirteen-Foot Travel Trailer to Get Away...
By age 25, I had already worked some hard jobs with hard-working people, but none of them even came close to the plumbing and heating work I did with Irv. He was a machine that never tired. And what I found truly amazing was that he seemed genuinely excited to go to work every day, even in his mid-sixties, with a lifetime of work already in his rearview mirror.
After spending several months handing him tools, getting parts out of the van for him, and watching him work, I began to think I wasn't carrying my weight, and Irv had all the pressure on him to stay busy enough to support two salaries. Irv's old school "learn by watching" method was beginning to make me feel useless. I wanted some hands-on, and I wanted to earn my keep…
We were on a job gas piping, and Irv was doing all the wrench work. I was limited to watching him and salivating over the thought of getting my hands on those damn wrenches. I confronted him with the idea of letting me do some of the work to at least lessen his workload. He spouted back, "People are calling me because they want me to do the work, not an apprentice…" I couldn't dispute that. He was the Master.
When he told me a story about how his uncle handled his apprenticeship, it became obvious that it was the blueprint for how he was handling mine. I suggested that he and I were smarter than his uncle, and we knew the sooner I could be productive on the job site, the better. I told him I was capable of repairing and installing faucets, toilets, and water heaters…
"I'm young and strong, Irv, and I can help make your life a little easier and earn some money so the burden of my apprenticeship isn't all on you."
I still remember the job we were on. We were working in a house next door to my family's old house on Cheryl Drive in Sharon. My father sold the house in 1976, and he and my mother moved to Florida. It was the turning point in my life, and I was only 19. That's when Moose and I relocated to South Florida and rented a house where we spent five months riding motorcycles, drinking, smoking pot, swallowing pills, and generally living in the moment.
Maybe being in the house next door and thinking about my father and our failed relationship made me want to be more than just a plumber's helper. I wanted a chance to earn my keep, prove myself worthy of the opportunity, and maybe shine a little bit in Susan's eyes.
Irv and I had our first argument that day, and I've never been an easy person to argue with. I kept reminding myself that Irv was my father-in-law, a kind and honest person, a hard worker, and the male role model I desperately needed in my life.
I eased up, but Irv was already upset at the mere suggestion that he surrender some of the work to his young apprentice. When he got mad, he didn't yell or even raise his voice as my father did. Irv went radio silent, and that was much worse.
We didn't talk the whole way home, and when we pulled into the driveway and were both getting out of the van, I said, "See ya, Irv." he just continued walking into the house, his back to me. I had clearly pissed him off.
I was sure that after washing his hands in the kitchen sink, a habit I adopted from him that Susan hated, he was inside pouring himself his daily Bloody Mary, which he did under the direction of his doctor in an effort to manage his high blood pressure. He was probably gonna pour himself a second on this day, which he often did, before venting on Gloria.
When I got home and told Susan what happened, she wasn't happy. She loved us both, but I always thought the nod went to her father, and I was okay with that. I wasn't even allowed to call her "Suzy" like he did. They had a really special relationship.
The next day, I showed up fifteen minutes early, and Irv was already waiting by the van, holding a small shoebox with a thick rubber band double-wrapped around it. I had no idea what it was…
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Before I could get in the van, which I had to do quickly because he often took off before my door was completely shut, he stopped me. "Come here, Young Man." Then he handed me the shoebox and said, "This is for you. Open it…"
When I did, I saw that it wasn't just a shoe box. It was a make-shift toolbox, filled with some hand tools, and although it came up a little short in the toolbox department, it represented a clear change in perspective.
Irv was willing to abandon his uncle's old school methods, and I knew then that my apprenticeship was headed in a completely different direction. I was gonna be getting the hands-on I so desperately wanted.
When I got home and showed Susan the shoebox full of tools, she smiled, maybe even laughed a little…
I have only come here seeking knowledge
Things they would not teach me of in college
I can see the destiny you sold
Turned into a shining band of gold
I'll be wrapped around your finger…
To be continued…