Recently, I got off at a highway exit that I don't usually take, north of Denver. I was waiting at a stoplight at the end of the off ramp. Standing there was a man who appeared to be in his fifties, holding a white sign with simple block letters centered on three lines, "Need Work. Good Handyman. God Bless." Unlike many a sign I've seen written on brown cardboard and scrawled in hard-to-read lettering, this sign was visible and legible from a distance. And it didn't ask for a hand out, only a chance to work for pay. Photo by Bobolink

The man was wearing a baseball cap, neatly dressed in a long-sleeved blue shirt and light colored pants. It was the middle of the afternoon, hot sun beating down, with temperatures in the mid-90's. Photo by Brian_Bernas

In the comfort of my air-conditioned car, I glanced at his face.  Here was a man trying to hold on to his dignity, on the shoulder of an off ramp. It was enough for me to open up my window, just as the light turned green, with a question.  "Do you have a business card?"  I didn't have an immediate need for a handyman. I just knew that I wanted to reach out.

He quickly grabbed a slip of paper from his shirt pocket and handed it to me, happy that I had asked.  I looked long enough to see that there was a name, "Charley," and a phone number. Then I sped away.  As I drove, I realized the sacredness of that encounter. I could feel a lump in my throat. 

Once in a while, it pays to take a chance on another human being. Even a stranger. Photo by wordjunky

If you have a need for a handyman in the Denver area, contact me. I'll give you Charley's number so that you can check him out.  I thought twice about writing this post about Charley, as handyman work often requires someone to come into your home. So if it's not Charley that you take a chance on, maybe it's someone else.  Seems appropriate for Labor Day, doesn't it?