The work that no one wants

“Is it hot enough for you?” I love this question; it is the kind of rhetorical question that makes living in the South so wonderful. It’s a nicety, a polite statement like good morning or hello. Of course it not really one that requires an answer, this question is simply stating the obvious; It’s hot, we both know it…and there is nothing we can do about it. Have a great day!

Individuals that work outside or in unconditioned spaces have really suffered this summer from the record breaking heat, and it is often difficult to remember the times in my life that I did so all day. But why is it that the memories I have of hard work and excessive heat are fond ones? If the answer you pose is includes the notion that only I did these tasks for a short time until something cooler and clerical came along, you would be mistaken. I did this work for both fun and profit for years, and I enjoyed it. Hard work has an air of honesty like no other.

When I traded my construction work and unconditioned shop of many years for a real estate office with only short runs in the elements, the initial reaction was not one that most would predict. My father asked me how I liked the new job and I remember my answer clearly, “Well it’s not really work, we just stand around and talk about work.” I don’t say this to annoy real estate professionals; notice I didn’t say it wasn’t hard! It’s just different.

I understand that we are all very different individuals, but moving me indoors after a lifetime of working in the elements was akin to penning a country yard dog. Of course I got used to it, and after a while I actually enjoyed it. But every time I walked outside I pictured myself as a horse eying the fence on the other side of the pasture; with a decent head of steam I could easily clear the top wire and just keep running. I would run until I could run no longer; I would bask in the sleep of the physically exhausted and I would run again. As long as I continued to run I would be free.

That last paragraph may be hard for many to understand, and it may even seem corny to others. But the next time you ride by a construction site and feel sorry for the workers, think about it. If you think that most of the workers are waiting for their big break, you may be only partially right. The only break they may want is for it to be about 5 degrees cooler, or for a cloud to shield the midday sun, or simply the promise of another job when this one is complete. When you tell yourself that you are happy these people are doing the work that no one wants, you may be way off base. The only true answer is they are doing the work that you don’t want. There is a difference.