Hick has been doing work on a new (used) house bought by Back-Creek Neighbor Bev. It's quite some distance away from here, in a different middle of nowhere. He's getting paid by the hour, and he takes his old-man helper with him, paying him a portion of the wages. The guy is getting a free ride to work, after all, plus an hourly wage, same as Hick paid him to work on Pony House.
Anyhoo... there was a lot to be done to this property. Hick was there when the gas man came. He found out Wednesday that the gas man didn't do something right when he hooked something up. Bev heard hissing, and smelled gas, and went to a neighbor's house to call Hick and tell him. He drove all the way back out there and found the problem. And fixed it.
Wednesday, Bev had a new septic tank put in. But then she complained to Hick on Thursday that her toilet still didn't flush. Hick and his buddy dug it up, and saw that roots were blocking the pipe coming out of the house. So they chopped up the roots, added a piece of PVC pipe to that cast-iron pipe, and will pour in some concrete to hold everything in place.
"That stupid septic tank guy told her the tank wasn't filling up, but he just got the garden hose and filled it. He should have known something else was wrong."
"Oh, well. At least you got paid by the hour to fix his mistake."
"Yeah. But he got paid $6,900 to not even finish his job!"
Hick needs to start a new business, traveling around in a truck like Mr. Haney from Green Acres, with all kinds of supplies and equipment, selling his services instead of junk, to fix jobs that tradesmen have just done wrong!
I could use a neighbor like Hick. Good common sense and enough experience to fix what needs doing and does it right. Ranee (MN)
ReplyDeleteHick doesn't even need an instruction book!
DeleteMy dad was a plumber/gasfitter and would have done the job right the first time and checked that it was all working before he left the property. Young whippersnappers that call themselves tradesmen these days have no idea.
ReplyDeleteSo true. The newer generations don't seem to take pride in a job well done. Or even DONE!
DeleteThat Hick is an amazing man of means, a fixer for sure. Laughed at Mr. Haney image.
ReplyDeleteHick is SUCH A MR. HANEY! With his gift of gab. He doesn't cheat people, though.
DeleteHard to find good craftsmen nowadays!
ReplyDeleteYep! Even Mick the Mechanic has fallen out of favor with Hick.
DeleteI smell a cable TV hit a combination of Pickers and Holmes Makes it Right, "Hick Pick and Fix"
ReplyDeleteHick should have enough topics for episodes, as haphazard as people do their jobs now!
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