Jim Hammer @JhammerJim - Twitter Profile

3 months ago

Last week in Baltimore, Uber charged me $85 for a trip that usually costs $20. So today, I called Lyft and was picked up by a guy named Mike. He was driving a red F-150, clearly a work truck, full of tools and lumber... I sat up front. “How far to the airport,” I asked. “Fifteen minutes,” he said. “You in a hurry?” “Not really,” I said. “Are you?” “Never.” As we merged onto the road and settled into the slow lane, I asked Mike if he was a carpenter in real life. “Among other things,” he said. “Jack of all trades?” “Well, I don’t know about that,” he said. A while ago, I was a plumber’s helper. Then I worked in the heating and air condition game.” “How was that?,” I asked. “Hot and cold,” he said. I couldn’t tell if he was making a joke or not. His voice had a midwestern drawl with no expression on his face. “After that, I started carpentry. Trim, then framing." “You retired now? “No. I build campers these days.” “What kind of campers?” I asked. “I build them small ones you can tow most anywhere. They call ‘em teardrop trailers. I build ‘em by hand, one at a time.” “Yeah? How’s the quality,” I asked. “Pretty good,” he said. “Got a website?�� I asked. “Sure,” he said. “What’s your website called?” I asked. “Mike’s Pretty Good Campers.” “Your company is called 'Mike’s Pretty Good Campers?'” “I like to manage expectations,” said Mike. "Under promise and over deliver?" "That's the idea," said Mike. "Is that what you were doing before you picked me up? Building a pretty good camper?” “Yup. But I was frustrated. I don’t work when I’m frustrated. So, every now and then I step away.” “And drive a stranger to the airport?” I said. “Never too frustrated to drive.” said Mike. “Driving relaxes me. Besides, we ain’t strangers no more, are we?” “No,” I said. “I suppose not.” As we turned on Airport Road, I said, “So what’s the plan? Wait for another call? Or head back to the shop?” “Ain’t decided yet. Guess I'll see how I feel in a few minutes.” “Good plan,” I said. “By the way, if I like your website, do you care if I share it on Facebook?” “Why do you want to do that?” he asked. “I’ve got a few people who follow me on social media. Maybe some want a pretty good camper, custom made by a quasi-retired carpenter who drives for Lyft when he's frustrated?” “Can’t hurt,” said Mike. “Once people see these things, they fall in love with ‘em. They got conventions all over the country for teardrop trailer owners. Thousands show up.” As we pulled up to the airport, Mike asked me what carrier I was on. “American,” I said. “Right here is fine.” “Pre-check?” he asked. “Yes,” I said. We pulled up to the curb. I hopped out, as Mike dragged my bags out of the bed of his truck. “You look familiar,” he said. “Have I driven you before?” “I don’t think so,” I said. “I would have remembered. Thanks for the lift.” “No problem,” he said. “Was the ride okay?” "Pretty Good" Source: Mike Rowe

nettermike's tweet photo. Last week in Baltimore, Uber charged me $85 for a trip that usually costs $20. So today, I called Lyft and was picked up by a guy named Mike. He was driving a red F-150, clearly a work truck, full of tools and lumber...

I sat up front.

“How far to the airport,” I asked.

“Fifteen minutes,” he said. “You in a hurry?”

“Not really,” I said. “Are you?”

“Never.”

As we merged onto the road and settled into the slow lane, I asked Mike if he was a carpenter in real life.

“Among other things,” he said.

“Jack of all trades?”

“Well, I don’t know about that,” he said. A while ago, I was a plumber’s helper. Then I worked in the heating and air condition game.”

“How was that?,” I asked.

“Hot and cold,” he said.

I couldn’t tell if he was making a joke or not. His voice had a midwestern drawl with no expression on his face.

“After that, I started carpentry. Trim, then framing."

“You retired now?

“No. I build campers these days.”

“What kind of campers?” I asked.

“I build them small ones you can tow most anywhere. They call ‘em teardrop trailers. I build ‘em by hand, one at a time.”

“Yeah? How’s the quality,” I asked.

“Pretty good,” he said.

“Got a website?�� I asked.

“Sure,” he said.

“What’s your website called?” I asked.

“Mike’s Pretty Good Campers.”

“Your company is called 'Mike’s Pretty Good Campers?'”

“I like to manage expectations,” said Mike.

"Under promise and over deliver?"

"That's the idea," said Mike.

"Is that what you were doing before you picked me up? Building a pretty good camper?”

“Yup. But I was frustrated. I don’t work when I’m frustrated. So, every now and then I step away.”

“And drive a stranger to the airport?” I said.

“Never too frustrated to drive.” said Mike. “Driving relaxes me. Besides, we ain’t strangers no more, are we?”

“No,” I said. “I suppose not.”

As we turned on Airport Road, I said, “So what’s the plan? Wait for another call? Or head back to the shop?”

“Ain’t decided yet. Guess I'll see how I feel in a few minutes.”

“Good plan,” I said. “By the way, if I like your website, do you care if I share it on Facebook?”

“Why do you want to do that?” he asked.

“I’ve got a few people who follow me on social media. Maybe some want a pretty good camper, custom made by a quasi-retired carpenter who drives for Lyft when he's frustrated?”

“Can’t hurt,” said Mike. “Once people see these things, they fall in love with ‘em. They got conventions all over the country for teardrop trailer owners. Thousands show up.”

As we pulled up to the airport, Mike asked me what carrier I was on.

“American,” I said. “Right here is fine.”

“Pre-check?” he asked.

“Yes,” I said.

We pulled up to the curb. I hopped out, as Mike dragged my bags out of the bed of his truck.

“You look familiar,” he said. “Have I driven you before?”

“I don’t think so,” I said. “I would have remembered. Thanks for the lift.”

“No problem,” he said. “Was the ride okay?”

"Pretty Good"

Source: Mike Rowe

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