Ron Curell
Today is a guest post written by Ronald J. Curell. Ron is retired, and is a carpenter, father, hardware worker, and grandfather.
A laborer worked for a union general contractor. He had worked for them for years and he loved his job and they loved him.
Only the times were a changing and starting the next week, instead of getting their checks on the job, they would be mailed to them. In the construction business, for years the company boss or superintendent would personally come out and hand the checks to the guys.
Our labor friend said, “they had better not.” There is nothing as enjoyable as getting a check on pay day, live and with a thank you from the foreman.
Then again times change and now into the mail the checks would go.
All week long he said, “If I don’t get my check on the job on payday ……I will quit.” With a smile the foreman said, “Sure.”
Well the next week payday came and pay time came and no checks. Very loudly the laborer said, “Where is my check?”
Foreman said, “I told you on the way to your house in the mail.”
The laborer leaned his shovel on the wheelbarrow and walked off towards his truck.
“Whoa, where are you going?” The boss said.
“I quit, I told you that, I need to get home and get my check,” the laborer said.
The foreman was kind of dumbfounded and said, “But you have worked here for over 20 years.”
“Doesn’t matter I have to get home and get the mail before my wife does.” He jumped in his truck and off he sped.
Later we learned that for years he had been telling his wife he only made half of what he really did and he did not want her seeing his check.