Borrowing A Wrench

Of all people who should have had a full set of wrenches and tools it was my Dad. He was a carpenter, a electrician, a mechanic and a plumber but he had a wretched collection of tools. We used to say Dad could build or fix anything with his three tools, a hand saw, an ax and a hammer.Dad would undertake projects like doing a full motor job on his truck or car knowing he did not have the proper tools.

Luckily our neighbour from across the way had every tool. As a young boy my most dreaded moment would be when Dad would ask me to go over and borrow a special wrench. Dad never did walk that few feet but he expected one of us to do this task. I cannot explain how I felt when I rapped on their door and asked for the needed tool. Maybe because I would sometimes interrupt their dinner or family time but I just hated this simple task. Maybe my brothers felt the same way.

Our neighbour never refused, showed impatience or any action that would reflect annoyance. It was all in my head. In any case I avoided when possible being around when Dad was doing mechanic work. Later in life when Dad could afford the needed tools he became the man in our neighbourhood to go to if you needed any work to be done. There was never a task too big or too small that he would not respond to in a positive manner. It kind of rubbed off on the family and all our boys are pretty good at being fixers of anything.

Today I have a garage full of every possible tool and don't need to borrow but I make it known that any of my neighbours who have need of my tools come and get it. I am over that childhood phobia about borrowing.