looking back...

I guess they call it a milestone.

I was just thinking about how fast time goes and realized that in less then 2 weeks from now I will reach the 35th anniversary of the start of my career.

September 1978, I entered the doors of St. Paul Technical Vocational Institute (St Paul Technical College now), or "TVI" as we called it, green as green can be, except for a deep feeling of wanting to be a carpenter. ...

Back then, I didn’t do well at fitting in to unknown crowds. As it was my nature, I quietly slipped into to back of the class, found a desk on the aisle, and waited as others filed in. There was Jeff, a Viet Nam Vet, loud, funny– a prankster. And Mark, a dancer who lived for anything disco as in “Saturday Night Fever”.  And there was Bob, a guy my age who after we got talking together, realized we knew each other. We both were wrestlers, in the same weight class and we actually met in a couple of meets. He wrestled for Kellogg High, and I for North St. Paul. And Dan, a real gear head. Not sure why he picked carpentry when he loved his cars as he did. (He eventually transferred into the mechanics course.) And we also had a Stewie, another Nam vet. He had some real PTS issues. Any time there was a loud bang of any kind he would yell “incoming” and dive to the floor. Poor guy. He didn’t make it to the end of the course. Too many issues I guess. We also had a deaf guy. His name was Howie. It was amazing to see how well he could adapt to most situations, sometimes better then those of us who had our hearing.  And we had another Bob. He was older. We called him "gramps", but he was only in his 40’s. He was one of those "know it all’s" who would never back down in a discussion even when he knew he was wrong as wrong could be. He had some good ones with our instructor. And then there was Scott. Scott had the frame of thought that if you spent enough money on the best tools, it automatically made you a good carpenter. It was always a good laugh when he so many times proved that theory wrong. I will not forget Tom. Tom was the son of a local St. Paul contractor. He told us many times that we would be able to go work for his dad. I don’t think anybody did.

These are the guys that stand out in my mind, the guys I spent 2 years with as we learned about carpentry. Since we graduated in the spring of 1980, I have never crossed paths with any of them... except one. When we lived out east for awhile, I went skiing in the Pocono mountains a few times. One time, getting off the chair lift I heard my name called. I turned, and standing there to my surprise was my old wrestling friend and classmate, Bob. He just happened to be out there on a little vacation. Yes It’s a small world.

I wonder at times where all those guys ended up. I know they all can’t still be carpenters.  I sure hope some of them are. To all those guys, I hope you ended up doing what your hearts desire was. I’m lucky. I am doing just that.

~ The “looking back” Carpenter