The lineman went through his usual motions. Wire wraps around the rod poking out of the telephone pole, and then is brought taut. Put the tester on the end of the line, check for the signal from inside the house. A beep, and a job well done. Thompson climbed down from the pole to the ground, and knocked on the customer’s door. “Hello, ma’am? Yes, the phone is all ready. I’m just going to test your connection, and I’ll be off.”
Thompson walked into the living room and picked up the phone. He dialed 333, waited a moment, and noticed a slight smile as the phone gave the familiar test ring. He set the phone on the hook, wished the woman well, and returned to his van.
An everyday thing, so repetitive, and yet with a powerful sense of pride did it. Day by day, the same wires, the same wraps, the same phones. But with the best job done, the best goal completed, it kept him going. That pride.