The hardest welding job I ever did.

[4shorts]

Well Monday started out with some roller repairs to do for the local farm plus we had three vehicles out by the door to be repaired so all was lined up for a busy week.
There is some much needed road work being done in front of our house and all along the main road. It's been going on for three weeks now. I was in the shop around 8:30 am when a worker from the road crew walked in and said " we are going to dig up in front of your driveway now. I said you can't because for one thing you gave no notice plus I have these vehicles to be repaired. To make a long story short I got enough time to get the vehicles done and picked up and they started the tear up.

While the driveway was unusable I had enough work sitting around to keep me going so I started in at it. Tuesday I was welding away and stopped for a little break when I noticed and older gent walking up our long 600 foot driveway carrying something under his arm. As he walked I couldn't help think to myself that he must have worked hard all his life because he was really bent over and each step seemed like a struggle.

As the door opened he stepped in and asked "Are you Paul". I said yes and he went on to tell me that another shop 15 miles away sent him here with a special project he was doing.
Observing the item he had under his arm he then proceeded to place it on the bench. I couldn't help but think although looking a little rough on the fabrication someone put a lot of work into it. It was constructed out of stainless steel. Looked as if it was stick welded but it looked like it was going to be a lunch box type of thing and I wondered why someone would build such a thing

I asked the polite gent what he had and that's when I wished I had the time back so I could have never asked that question.

He replied. " Paul I have bone cancer. I don't have much longer to live and I'm building an urn to put my ashes in". He went on to say that he was a weldor for 40 years and just found out about the cancer. In the 18 years I've been in business I've never got such a shock. I was actually shaking to be honest.

He had a stainless knob that he wanted welded to the urn and some of the other welds cleaned up. I thought to myself that it must be important to him because he walked so far up our driveway to get here.

I told him I'd help him out so I got the tig set up and started to do the welding. I put the knob on and he was very impressed. I repaired the hinge and made some other improvements to the thing for him. I could see he was pleased so he asked me how much for the job and I just told him that we weren't open for business because the entrance was dug up so this repair was on us.

He was very moved and shook my hand, picked up the urn and left. My wife had been gone for a few hours, we had our van parked across the street so I had told her to go shopping.
When she returned she came in the shop, took one look at me and asked " what's wrong". I told her I had looked in the eyes of a dying man and went on to tell her the story. For the rest of the day and all this week it's really bothered me. I realized after that experience having our entrance dug up is such a small issue compared to what that man is dealing with.

Yesterday we got our entrance back and life is continuing on. We got a contract to do a Canadian Coast Guard boat, I'm a few days behind on my work but I don't consider it a problem after what I've seen this week.

Sorry I don't have any photos of the urn. I thought it would be in very poor taste to take a camera out while the poor guy was there.
I just wanted to share this story with you all.

 

[dclynch]

You are a awesome man and Karma is a good thing you will be blessed many times over for helping that man out. You have my upmost respect.

 

[NS Gearhead]

What an honor to be part of such an important piece of this man's life... and afterlife. I can see how it would hit close to home with him being a welder and all. It'll all be our turn some day... though it's easy not to think about it. Dunno if it's better to have a heads up or not.

 

[Shield Arc]

WOW, very nice of you! :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[crackerjack222]

Great story, 4shorts. May your blessings be multiplied.

 

[4shorts]

Thanks guys. I appreciate it but I really only wanted to tell the story to show us that there are others out there with far more serious problems than a lot of us have and I got to see that first hand with this situation. I was upset because my business was basically shut down for three days due to the road work then to have a guy walk the 600 feet up to my shop in that condition was jaw dropping. Anyone of us here would have done the same thing and I truly believe that but from now on when I start to complain to myself I'll reflect back to this experience.

 

[LD1]

Very touching.

 

[k0ua]

Thanks for sharing with us Paul. I don't know if I would have been able to weld it. I would have had trouble seeing the puddle from all the water in my eyes. God bless you Paul.

James K0UA

 

[TripleR]

Great story and food for thought for all of us Paul, thanks for sharing.

 

[4shorts]

Thanks again guys. I can assure you my welds weren't up to snuff but I got it done. My hand was shaking and the pedal operation wasn't smooth. It really hit me after he left and that's when my wife came in the shop and asked what's wrong so yes there were tears. 18 years in business it was the most touching job I ever had to do. I've had others but this one hit my soft spot.

 

[TripleR]

Difficult situation and touching story and you handled it well Paul. My son is an EMT whose job often puts him into contact with end of life patients, one of my daughters is an RN working as a Nursing Supervisor at a Veterans home and previously worked in hospice care, daughter in law is an RN in a critical care nursing facility and it is a real balancing act to treat people with dignity and respect without being overly solicitous. Your heart may be breaking on the inside, but oftentimes it extremely important to act normally.

 

[MoKelly]

Thanks for sharing your story. I, for one, can always use a reminder on what is really important vs. the day-to-day stress we place on ourselves.

MoKelly

 

[hawkeye08]

Paul, make a replica of the urn and put it on a shelf in your shop so you and others can see it. When asked what it is, you can share the story. We all need daily reminders of how precious life is and how most of our troubles are really minor... thanks for sharing.

 

[4shorts]

Difficult situation and touching story and you handled it well Paul. My son is an EMT whose job often puts him into contact with end of life patients, one of my daughters is an RN working as a Nursing Supervisor at a Veterans home and previously worked in hospice care, daughter in law is an RN in a critical care nursing facility and it is a real balancing act to treat people with dignity and respect without being overly solicitous. Your heart may be breaking on the inside, but oftentimes it extremely important to act normally.

This is why I've always liked and enjoyed your posts. There's always something to learn. Thanks!

Thanks for sharing your story. I, for one, can always use a reminder on what is really important vs. the day-to-day stress we place on ourselves.

MoKelly

So true. We all need to sit back sometimes and think about things. My friend always said, If you put 20 people in a room, sit them down at a table and tell everyone to put all their problems on the table. After you see what their going though you'd pick up you own problems and go home. This experience was a real eye opener for me.

Paul, make a replica of the urn and put it on a shelf in your shop so you and others can see it. When asked what it is, you can share the story. We all need daily reminders of how precious life is and how most of our troubles are really minor... thanks for sharing.

Oh man. I don't know. Don't think I'd be able to look at it. I'll be awhile getting over this experience that's for sure.

 

[rmorey]

Good on you Paul. There is an old saying, "I used to complain about not having any shoes, until I met a man with no feet". Kinda puts life into perspective.

 

[Marveltone]

I'll have to admit, I got a little choked up just reading the story. Experiences like this have a way of really tearing at our heart strings. 4shorts, you did more than a job; you ministered to this gentleman in a way that few of us could. A very difficult, but blessed occasion. My less-than-ideal work week suddenly seems pretty trite.

Thanks for putting things into perspective.

Joe

 

[cqaigy2]

Good on you Paul. There is an old saying, "I used to complain about not having any shoes, until I met a man with no feet". Kinda puts life into perspective.

Boy, isn't that the truth! Thanks for sharing, 4shorts.

 

[varmint]

I was glad you stopped and related the story... and made the point that we often just forget about, that our problems may be insignificant compared to some else's. Being of service to those in need is a valuable gift, and one we need to give more often.

 

[srs]

Thanks for sharing Paul, you're a good man. Stanley

 

[kevin37b]

Sounds like what you did meant a lot to that man . You should feel very good about yourself .