Photography And Half-Thoughts By Mitchell Hegman

...because some of it is pretty and some of it is not.

Thursday, December 16, 2021

When You Find What You Need in Chaos

I don’t want to say Leo’s shop is a study in chaos.

Wait.

Yes, I do.

Leo’s shop is a study in chaos.

But we are talking about a remarkable, if not admirable, chaos.  For one thing, the shop holds at least one (and likely two) of everything.  The mass of tools and pieces-parts is impressive.  We are talking bins of tools, stratified layers of fasteners, and heaps of elbowed things.

In one spot you might find engine parts and sprinkler system widgets stacked together in a manner that would impress Chinese acrobats.  In another, a single box holds incandescent light bulbs, ¾-inch nuts and bolts, a dear antler, a length of plastic pipe, and small engine parts.

My favorite corner of the shop makes me wonder if Leo lived by the motto: “You can’t have too many broken weedwhackers.”

Sadly, Leo is gone.  He qualified, in my estimation, as a brilliant mechanic.  He understood everything about everything.   Leo’s son, Kevin (Toad), now “manages” the place.  These days, we often call Leo’s shop “The Toadworks.”

A few days ago, called Kevin.  “I need a couple romex connectors,” I told him.   “Mind if I take a look in the shop?”

 “I’ll meet you there.”

It took some digging, but eventually I found two connectors inside a jar deep inside in a box filled with whatnot.

I held the connectors out and announced: “Thank you once again, Leo!”



Romex Connectors

Mitchell Hegman

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