I’ve done a lot of different things and had many professions.  It’s always been fun and that’s always been the driving force to try something different.  Life is short and we shouldn’t waste time working at something we hate.

When you live like that, you meet a lot of people.  Whenever someone comes to visit me from away and we go out and about, they always ask, “Do you know everybody?” 

Most of the people I’ve met I know their name and a little bit about them, but there’s a bunch that I have no idea who they are or what their name is.

A few years ago, when I still had my earthwork business, I worked on an apartment house rehab on Granite Street in Rockland.  It was a fun project and the end result was great. 

Throughout the project, there was a guy that worked there. I never knew his name, not even his first name. 

He was friendly, professional and fun. We even sat around having a beer after work a couple of nights just talking and he had a presence. You know: A person who was working hard, but had the potential to be something better.

We interacted a couple other times on other jobs and I would occasionally see him at Pushaw’s Trading Post in South Hope in the morning where we would bump into each other getting our morning coffee.  Always smiling and always friendly. I didn’t know if he had a family, but suspected that he did. Didn’t know anything about the guy except that he had a presence. You know what I mean?  He was destined to be somebody. I can’t explain it.

On a recent morning when I went into Pushaw’s for my morning coffee there was a jar on the counter for money to support some guy’s family.  I had no idea who the person was and just walked by.

Later in the afternoon, I learned the name of my friend and fellow worker. Sam Whitley. I never really knew Sam. Heck, I didn’t even know his name.  There was something about him that I thought was special.  Who knows why things happen?  A decent guy dies working to support his family thousands of miles from his home. It makes no sense.

Sam.  I’ll miss your smile.  That’s the memory I have of the worker without a name.  Life is short, folks.  Show your appreciation for people who mean something to you.  Find out their name.