Not the guy — Yet Fun Pix Anyhoo
Back in April 2012, I gave $300USD to a Millionaire.
Crazy Huh? The millionaire did not need the money. So why did I “feed” the “evil rich.” Why was I so “foolish” to make the rich even richer — and the poor — presumably me — even poorer?
Simple Answer: I needed his results. This Millionaire helped me pump and transport 1200 gallons of watery, slurry poop — and butt burps from my septic tank — and I was glad for his help.
How do I know the poopy pumper was a Millionaire? I ask him.
I started with the curiosity question: “Hey, how did you get into this biz?” (after all – as a kid – who sez to themselves “My big dream in life is sucking out other people’s crap & caca” ).
The Millionaire’s story was simple — yet routine for most small biz: “Well my dad and I need a job back 30 years ago — in El Paso TX — construction had crapped out — and we had a pickup truck, shovels, a 300 gallon water tank and a trash pump — and old pump cast off by some construction job. We fixed the pump and connected the tank. We had neighbors with flooding septic tanks — and we started helping our neighbors — learned what worked — and what did not — reinvested our money in tools and equipment — grew from that.”
With all the gloom and doom economic news since 2008 — I asked the follow on question “How is business?”
His response was introspective — clearly not braggadocious — and oddly demur & humble: “Well, I guess I am doing all right — I am 53 years old and my accountant called me two years back — and said ‘Congrads, all your taxes and liabilities are fully paid — your office and equipment are all free and clear — and you have no employee headaches & trip points — and you have a solid $1.1 million in the bank’ “
I ask him: “So why are you still working? How come you be out here — and pumping my poopy? Why not go on some serious fishing trips?”
He shot back surprisingly fast: “Well I did some of that — fishing in Alaska and Canada — a couple of ocean cruises — it was fun and interesting — ate good food and met interesting people. But I found myself spotting biz opportunities everywhere I wandered — and thought about how to start a new biz in each place. And then I remembered: ‘Hell, I have a good biz at home — a biz that I like — and is doing well. Why do I need to start over in a place with strange rules and regs — and a bunch of folks I do not know?’ “
As the truck pump hummed — and poopy was sucked up — the Millionaire pondered for a bit more and then added: “Hell, I just like working — it is both entertainment and cash flow all wrapped into one.”
MESSAGE? KEY IDEA? This septic tank owner — I for one — am very glad to give money to this kind of “evil rich” — even the ones with smelly trucks and boots — they do things we cannot do for ourselves — and have built up big equipment, skills and capital resources that are unique and fully available for a phone call and only $300 USD. I was glad to help the Millionaire — because he also helped me. This is what free trade and individual enterprise is all about. This is my kind of “redistribute the wealth.” You gotta love it. If not — you will be swimming in your own poop.
