So, recently, this olelongrooffan popped in a post here in the Hooniverse showcasing my new longroof. One of our fellow Hoons questioned if this olelongrooffan had taken yet another new job? Well my fellow Hoons, the answer to that question is, without hesitation, a resounding Yes. Now as this olelongrooffan had been cruising around the Sunshine State in my XBenz for just six months, what was it that made this olelongrooffan decide to, once again, upend my career? Well, sometimes it seems that my life has been a series of “It seemed like a good idea at the time” decisions. But ya know what my fellow Hoons? It just seems to work for me.

So there I was, driving all over the Sunshine State amassing nearly 5,000 miles a month on my minilongroof and juggling a whole bunch of balls in the air, trying to maintain a stair and rail production and installation schedule to the tune of way to little money on an annual basis. All was well though as this longtime construction employed white collar professional never expected to be employed in the construction industry again, due to my advanced age, during the time of contraction in the new home industry. Lo and behold, OldAJ saw something in my abilities and gave this olelongrooffan an opportunity. And in his words, “It’s good to see you take ownership of your position.”

However, the fact that OldAJ would pull my previously scheduled installers to install a job of his, of which I had no previous knowledge, caused this olelongrooffan to realize that I couldn’t succeed with his team. Therefore, I decided to cross the net, if you will, and join a team with whom I could succeed. One day, after OldAJ rescheduled one of my install crews without my knowledge, thus earning this olelongrooffan yet another call from a pissed off Project Manager, I decided to head over to the “other coast,” which would be my old hometown of Naples, Florida. So, having done so, I stopped by one of our builder clients there and realized the scope of work they had going on. (One of several communities they are constructing has over 2,000 homesites.)

Now, please allow this olelongrooffan to digress and share a brief moment. I would suspect that most of my fellow Hoons know that this olelongrooffan doesn’t hesitate to engage total strangers in conversation about their rides. Recently, as I was out and about picking up some much needed hurricane supplies at that store that is all about the alphabet, I spotted this carhauler in the lot unloading this C7. See that barely discernible arm to the extreme left side of the above image? Turns out it belonged to an older, once again probably a mere ten or so years older than this olelongrooffan, woman and she was capturing images of her, presumably, husband in the driver’s seat of that C7. I mentioned to her that it was a beautiful ride. She yelled back, “Yeah it is a present for him for his 80th birthday.” Hell Yeah. I would suspect that dude is a Hoon. When I asked her where that red and white C7 had originated from, her answer was, appropriately enough, “St. Louis.” Yeah, gotta love those Cardinals. Kudos to my nephews.

So, where was I? Oh yeah. Working my ass off to keep OldAJ’s company on schedule and getting, pretty much, undermined at every turn. So I was visiting one of our builders over in the FantasyLand that is my old hometown and realizing they have years of work over that way. So I was chatting it up with one of the job superintendents and asked if they might be looking for a few more? He responded in the positive so I headed in to his boss’s office to check out the opportunities for this olelongrooffan.

When I entered Charles’s office it was with some trepidation. You see the first time I had met the Man, I had shipped the wrong product for installation in the very last home in a 4,000 home subdivision in Miami for which he was the Project Manager. Trust me my fellow Hoons, he was not happy with me nor my firm. He cussed out my installer, and then when I arrived, me. After calming down my installer, I approached Charles and mentioned to him that he could make me his “chew toy” any time, as that was my job, but please don’t yell at my subcontracted installers, after all, they know no history and are just here to do their job with the materials supplied. To his credit, Charles told that I was correct and he went in and apologized to that old man. Charles’ esteem rose quite a few notches that day in the mind of this olelongrooffan. 

 

So this olelongrooffan inquired of Charles if he was in the market for a superintendent for one of his projects and would he consider me for one of those positions. He said, in what is one of hugest compliments this olelongrooffan has received in quite some time, “Would you be interested in one of those positions?” Of course, I replied in the affirmative and his response was, “Based on what I have seen you do in your present position, my search is over.” I was overwhelmed and then asked if I could forward my resume his way. “Please do.”

Well, my fellow Hoons, I am proud to say the very next day I received a call from Charles stating that he couldn’t afford to waste this olelongrooffan’s talents on a mere construction superintendent job but wanted me to head up the Customer Service Division of their community of $1,000,000.00 plus homes here in toney Grey Naples, Florida.

So, after having moved from Naples to Sl-Ocala and then Daytona Beach some ten years ago after my daughter, her Mom and her other Dad had moved to the D.C. area, this olelongrooffan is back home again, isn’t that some Gomer Pyle song?, and am able to Celebrate Life in yet another way. It may not be sneaking into some event at the Daytona International Speedway but I am pretty sure I’ll find a couple of cool things to do around these here parts.

Meanwhile, these are some of the cars and homes this olelongrooffan passes by on a daily basis in my new longroof. While most folks employed in customer service positions in the construction industry hate their jobs, this olelongrooffan does not. Yeah, every time my outdated Blackberry phone vibrates in the back pocket of those designer jeans my friend Kris made me buy, it is some homeowner with yet another problem. But the best part is I get to spend my day solving problems and at the end of the day on my seven minute commute home, this olelongrooffan goes over my day and realize that I made several people very happy in their new homes today. Just another way for this olelongrooffan to Celebrate Life.

Now about that seven minute commute. Back when this olelongrooffan was still married to my daughter’s mom, we hung with another married couple about our age. They ended up getting divorced roughly around the same time as we did and I stayed friends with the wife and my former wife stayed friends with the husband. When I mentioned to the wife, Tami, that I was moving back to Naples she asked where I was going to live? “I’ll just need to find a place,” was my response. She asked if I would be interested in becoming her roommate? “H*ll Yes,”I replied and this olelongrooffan is living with a yet another longtime female friend and enjoying it very much. Unfortunately, that cute blonde also has me stuck in the friend’s corner but that’s okay, I have a great friend and confidant.

So, it was yesterday at our weekly staff meeting with Charles, his boss, Princess Diana and her boss, Henry that they spilled the beans and told me that I was promoted and am now in charge of Customer Service for all of our southwest Florida communities and oh, by the way, “$xx,xxx.00 is the amount of your raise along with this promotion.” Just 90 days in.

While it’s not enough to get me the Bentley ragtop in the above image, maybe I can get thejeepjunkie to find me an old flatfender to Hoon around in down here in FantasyLand.

Yeah Hoons, things just seem to work out for this olelongrooffan and by keeping a glass is half full attitude, it is easy to Celebrate Life. Here’s to hoping my fellow Hoons can do the same.

Image Copyright Hooniverse 2014/longrooffan