Our interactions with the “real people” in this industry are always interesting and often entertaining. On what might be considered a “normal” site inspection, there is often something humorous or fascinating that happens if you just pay attention. In the last month, I came home several times with a smile and a story. Here’s a recent anecdote:
- During a site inspection of a large, high-end Association made up of large (minimum 5000 square foot) custom homes, the Manager was driving me around their network of roads, giving me the “lay of the land”. He pointed out some local road repairs, the electronic weather station for their irrigation system, their newly purchased electric generator stored in locked storage unit, and other valuable items of interest. Pointing to one large home, he advised, “Never stop near this house”. My curiosity aroused, I asked why and learned that the homeowner was a “Russian mafia bad guy”. The Manager went on to explain that the homeowner had just returned from a two year stint in federal prison. On the day he was arrested and taken away from his home, the guard at the entry gatehouse had called the Manager excitedly, “There are two big vans here full of guys with FBI badges and rifles… what do I do?” The Manager said he quickly replied, “They are the good guys, let them in!” Forewarned by that story, we measured the asphalt on that particular street with the car odometer, not by getting out and walking it!