John Kitsco

If you liked this post, check out more from John Kitsco.
We met Max through a small advertisement in a neighborhood newspaper.
His ad was simple. Carpenter for hire. References. Experience. Good rates.
Our first visit was to a job site where Max was building a sundeck. My, what
an excellent job. So we decided to hire Max.

On the first day Max inquired: "Someone has to be boss ..."(his English was
not great, he came to Canada from Yugoslavia),,,,and yes, I agreed: "Why
not you Max?" And thus began the project, to build a cabin and call it
Moonlight Mirage. 

My inexperience showed. Max suggested that since he was boss, the boss
would like the lumber in a certain pile on the site, not just thrown about
but placed very neatly, he definitely had a plan and first order of business
was to be neat and orderly. I complied.  As days moved forward I began to
get a little annoyed with Max and his treating the guy paying the bills like
a hired hand. Do this. Move that.  Finished lunch? Time to get back to work.
If I was even five minutes late picking Max up for the drive from the city to
the countryside, I would be picked on, told I was lazy and inefficient. No
reason to be late. Boss say get up early, work hard. Boss say remember
who boss. Boss say this hired hand not working hard enough.  Yes, Max
could get under your skin. And perhaps it was that sort of edge that kept
the project moving forward. Perhaps it was that type of boss I really needed
to complete this, our first cottage.  Well, on a bright, hot and sunny day
we had reached the roof and carried shingles up the ladder. Boss say hired
guy lazy, carrying only a bundle of shingles, why not two or three at a time?
And trust me, I tried to push, shove and slide the roofing shingles up the
ladder only to be told that the hired hand sure is slow. Well, enough was
enough. I dropped that last bundle of shingles in front of Max and proclaimed
that ....ah ha....I am now THE BOSS, which made Max quite withdrawn and
not his usual cheery self. Next day I was sure to apologize, saying I had made
a mistake in my judgement and that MAX WAS THE BOSS AGAIN. And
he smiled and was happy and the work progressed and we finished the project.
Neighbors were very complimentary on this old carpenter from Yugoslavia
and the fine work that he did. Nobody said much about the bired hand who
paid the bills. And I suppose there is much to be said about being able to
recognize the real talent someone has, they may not shine in other ways
but if they GET THE JOB DONE then you have someone who truly, truly
deserves to be called THE BOSS. And to this day I consider Max a friend
and my inspiration. I doubt this project could have been completed without
Max,  and perhaps if I could have, I might have considered firing that hired
hand....