It takes many years to accumulate true expertise. I do not refer to the time it takes to climb up a corporate later, but to really trully be good at something. Many have worked hard and pushed on in a dedicated way not to be better at what they do, but to find a way to grasp more fame and money. Yet we always have a chance to meet the true experts, those who have amassed not only a wide scope of knowledge, but a wide range of tools as well. A few days ago I had this chance.
It was an ordinary weekday morning. I had been taking my bicycle around the past few days, and it had been creaking loudly its way on the left pedal. In broad daylight on the side of a busy road its not much of a fuss, and you probably would not find it audible over the tyres rushing of the tarmac. Yet when the black skies creep over the horizon, and people are peacefully reading and enjoying the night sky, the intrinsic sound serves a complete nuisance to the serene air. However, after a few ocassional attempts at its repair, the problem kept resurfacing.
Allow me to define the problem. A wing nut holds the pedal onto the main gear shaft. After continual pedalling, and the slight rusting of the shaft, the metal slowly wears off its flat surface and exhibits a loosening of the joint. At first, I would periodically tighten the wing nut with a standard dual ended spanner. However due to the inset of the nut on the pedal, this is not ideal, as the spanner is unable to fully encircle the full body of the nut, causing a weak grip on the pedal. So I look at the situation and think to myself: I need a socket wrench. This is a standard industry spanner which allows the whole head of the nut to be fully taken into the tool. In my area, Bunnings Warehouse (a hardware superstore) is a mere 1 kilometre away from my residence, so logically, a bicyle ride there was ideal.
Along the way I come across a trailer van, parked on the side of a busy lane. The driver was inside, and judging from the time of day and it’s location, it certainly doesn’t look like a good place to stop! I peer to my side to look as I cycle past. There was an elderly man inside, with a look of pure frustration on his face. He steps out of the vehicle, and as I pass by I wonder, does this guy need help? My curiosity and initiative to serve gets the best of me and I gaze one more time in his direction. This time, he picks up the vibe and hollers:
“Could you give me a hand?”
“Sure, what can I help you with?” I reply modestly.
Now this man must have been about 60, for he had bleached full facial hair in my direct vision.
“I’m trying to get somewhere but the engine just died on me.” in a rather demotivated voice
“What would you like me to do?”
“Would you hop in the driver’s seat and start the ignition?”
“Sure thing mate.”
I drop my helmet, my bag and my bicycle on the grassy sidewalk and proceed towards his pickup. He explains that fuel is getting stuck in one of the lines, and that a slight tapping of the mechanism at the engine, may alleviate the kinks. So I step in the driver seat and do as was told. For a while it seems like the engine was going to roar and hold, yet it would only struggle with the former. I even suggest the accelarator pedal but to no avail. He begins to get slightly vocal on his emotions and I instinctively offer him my phone. He tells me he wants to call the car insurance agency. While I pass him the phone I peer to the back of the truck.
It was full with tools of any sort: ladders, shovels, picks, welding torches, and everything a mobile workshop should have. Quickly I ask if I can borrow his socket wrench. Now at this time I had been very sure a socket wrench would do the trick of my attempted journey and now I would have a chance to prove it. With his authorization, I fumble through the many tools and finally find one to the correct size. It would not work!
After a few minutes the phone call ends after he affirms his identity and location of pickup. I ask him how long it would take for the people to get here, and he says about an hour to 90 minutes. I then proceed to describe the problem:
“I can’t seem to fit the spanner in properly”
“Hang on, I may just have the tool you need!”
In anticipation, I help him weave through his immense tray of tools. He picks at a few pipe wrenches and tries them. It would work better than the socket wrench, and from then I stand back and watch to learn. After that he digs out something very precise and he says with a smile:
“This wrench was designed specifically for bicylces”
And lo and behold it fits perfectly! I was so happy to see that and thank him sincerely.But he continues:
“Hold on, I can give you a lock nut so it wouldn’t come loose anymore. May not look very nice, but would work neatly”
What more could I ask for. A lock nut would allow me to use my normal wrench at home to tighten the nut over indirectly. My inexperienced mind would definitely not have see that.
Soon after, the time had come for me to leave and I ask:
“What are you going to do before they arrive?”
“I am going to read my book”
“Oh, you’ve got a book in your truck?”
“Certainly, I would never do without one. Should take every opportunity to learn more.”
Another great insight which I have been doing for a while.
Interesting things do happen just in the neighbourhood, we just need to be open and receptive to it. If I had rushed and focused straight on just going to Bunnings and getting home in the shortest time possible, I would have missed this man and would have wasted my money on the wrong tools. Sometimes all we need is to imagine ourselves in another’s shoes to know exactly what they need. And maybe sometimes, you get to help yourself in the process.