BigDog Speaks

It is surprising to me how many younger folks think they are entitled to a living without ever doing a thing for it. The work ethic of my parents passed to me and I did my utmost to pass it on to my kids. I am painfully aware that this is the exception rather than the rule. Clerks in the store get annoyed when you ask them for help or directions, they are just there for looks, not work. Cashiers give you dirty looks when you intrude on the conversation they are having with another cashier simply because you wish to check out. We have screwed the pooch on this one and ALL of us will be paying for it.

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Expecting young people to actually work for their pay may be old school thinking but it IS the way I think. The plumber that installed my water heater had a helper who was to do the things helpers usually do. Bring tools, haul out the old heater, wheel in the new one, the usual grunt work. The plumber had a broke foot and was wearing one of those boots to protect it. I assumed his helper would be more active since the boss was injured. Boy, was I ever wrong. Horsing the heater to get it on to the dolly was done by the plumber. The helper was busy picking up various things on one of my display shelves in the pool room adjoining the laundry room. The helper did roll the heater out to the driveway once the plumber handed him the dolly with the heater already on it and in the roll position. Once in the driveway, the helper released the dolly. When he was told to roll it to the end of the drive, he made a couple of false tries, lost his temper, kicked the box the new heater and arrived in and sulked. The plumber rolled the heater to the end of the drive. Had it been me, I would have been looking for a new helper. Knowing it was none of my business, I said as much to the plumber. He looked at me funny and informed me this one was better than his last one. We are in a sad state of affairs. We have raised a generation of non-workers and we will have no choice but to rely on them in the future. We aren't too bright are we?