Thursday, March 29, 2007

Rural Life and the Old Codger!

Great day yesterday! Had the opportunity to work with a “gentleman” Realtor (about 70 years old) and ride 4 wheelers across some property. I will call him Mr. M. The ride to and from the property was about an hour each way and gave me the opportunity to get to know the real person.

Oddly enough, it was a couple of years ago that Mr. M and I first met in a rural wooded area where he had some property for sale and I was looking at it for the possibility of financing a home on some of the property. The land in question was a 10 acre wooded tract out of an 80 acre area. My biggest fear and concern was that the house to be built was marked off properly and did not encroach on the boundaries lines.

Well, I had told Mr. M somewhat indignantly on the phone that I had to see each corner of the property to make my own determination. We agreed to meet and take a look.

At the agreed upon time, I drove up to the property. Mr. M was standing about 75 yards away in the “deep woods and brier”. As I exited my vehicle he stated in a booming voice “Come on over here – let me show you this first corner.” “You said you’ve got to absolutely see the markers yourself.”

Well, I stood there somewhat amused, somewhat intrigued, and somewhat ticked off. The 75 yards of real estate between me and Mr. M was solid under brush and briers. I stood there in my khakis and polo shirt thinking that and “old codger” was standing out here trying to show me up. I tried to be cool in my loud conversation across the expansive briers, but no intelligent solution came to me as to how to come out of this with any dignity. However, I was not going to the brier patch!

I promptly looked at myself from Mr. M’s perspective and realized that it was not he that had the “old codger” attitude but rather me that had caused the “old codger” attitude. I began to laugh at the situation and immediately voiced a make-shift apology for my earlier indignant demands. “Well, now I think we can work together he stated.” He came out of the brush and began to point out the corners at a distance. Everything was fine.

It was a year later and a presentation at a realtors meeting that gave me my next encounter with Mr. M. I walked into the meeting to begin my presentation. Mr. M recognized me – stood up immediately and related this story in such a manner that had the entire meeting in stitches.

He and I have been friends ever since!

More later about the great day with Mr. M.

Rural Life and the Old Codger - Part 2

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