My dad, H.L. Craft Sr., worked in the construction business
during the week, and spent weekends doing local plumbing work.
Needless to say, I was born a plumber’s helper (no pun intended),
and as a youth during the 1940s, I dug many a ditch. My dad had two
sayings he pulled on me, and I never knew which one was coming
next: “Leave well enough alone” and “If it’s worth doing, it’s
worth doing right.” I just kept my mouth shut and dug until he said
stop.
My dad passed away in 1986. Recently, while helping a relative
clean up around the old house, I saw something metal behind an
abandoned barn. The thing was hidden by cedar bushes and had small
trees growing up through it. On closer inspection, I saw it was my
daddy’s iron-wheeled, steel wheelbarrow. I could see it was going
to be quite a job getting it out, and I was sure it would be rusted
to pieces. So, I started to leave, but then I thought, “what the
heck, this was worth doing right,” so I had at it. To my surprise,
the barrow was not too far gone to restore. I cleaned it up, put it
back into shape and painted it John Deere green and yellow. Daddy’s
wheelbarrow is proudly retired now and I think it looks mighty good
on my front porch. I’m leaving well enough alone.
– Buz Craft
P.O. Box 565
Wills Point, TX 75169
(903) 873-2367
e-mail: junction@etxrn.com
