Two Paths
(1013 words, 4 min read)
Though the spring day was warm, it was far too early in the season to shed the winter clothes and lie on the beach, catching some rays. Instead, Joey Sandborn elects to take a road trip adventure along Route 1, heading up the coast to Maine.
Sandborn is a strapping young man of twenty, and he loves New England. He grew up in Rhode Island and has been playing in the Atlantic Ocean for as long as he can remember. He can’t think of a better place to live.
Just before he crosses the state line into Maine, Joey spots a sign announcing that the Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse is open for tours, and he steers his car towards the point on New Castle Island. When he arrives, he parks his car, steps out, and takes a deep breath of the sea air. Before he goes in, he walks around the lighthouse, taking it in from all sides.
Joey made it inside and was asked if he could help the old caretaker change the light bulb in the lantern. Surprised at the request, Joey is nothing but helpful, so he agrees to assist. It could be fun, and he never backs away from a challenge. Though the task seems simple, he has never done it before on this scale.
Entirely grateful, the caretaker starts to give instructions, but Joey is impatient. He sees that he has two paths to choose from: the first is a freestanding ladder in the middle of the lighthouse that runs straight to the lantern, and the second is a stone staircase that hugs the perimeter.
Joey says, “Well, I want to do this as quickly as possible. So, I’ll use the ladder, shoot up there, change the bulb, and then be on my way. I have changed light bulbs before in my house, so how much more difficult could it be?”
He swiftly picks up the light bulb and the wrench off the table in the center of the room. The bulb is heavier than he would have guessed. “I am not going to be able to hold it and climb the ladder at the same time. That’s okay, I will put it in my knapsack.”
The wrench is also quite heavy and awkward, so Joey shoves it deep into the knapsack, gingerly places the bulb on top, and ties it with a drawstring. The old caretaker notices a hole in the knapsack and tries to point it out, but Joey is too quick, and he is already starting up the ladder.
Ten feet off the ground, the wrench shifts, and it reminds Joey that there is a hole in his sack; that isn’t good. Joey decides he needs to move quicker so he can reach the top before he loses it.
The wrench shifts again, and Joey hurries. But Joey’s foot slips, causing the wrench to pop out of the bag, and the dangling straps snag it. The wrench swings wildly as he tries to get his footing back. Then the wrench hits the bag and smashes the light bulb.
“Now, what am I going to do?”
Joey hears the caretaker’s voice below, “The supply closet should have an extra light bulb.”
Joey climbs down the ladder and comes face to face with the old caretaker, smiling ear to ear. “What are you smiling about? I just broke your bulb.”
The caretaker says nothing, just points to the door halfway up the staircase. Joey runs up the stairs, thinking he is wasting time.
The door is unlocked. Joey goes in, finds the light bulb, and heads back down the staircase to pick up the knapsack. A moment later, he is back up the ladder, continuing to think he is wasting time. Finally, he is at the top of the ladder, and he pulls the light bulb out of the knapsack. Only then does he realize that the wrench is at the bottom of the ladder in the hands of the old caretaker.
“Damn! Why doesn’t he just carry it himself if he wanted to be helpful?” Joey mumbles. Why is he standing there with a stupid smile on his face? Joey doesn’t bother to yell down to the man because he guesses he is hard of hearing. So, Joey climbs down the ladder to get the wrench.
Now he is stressed because he has wasted a great deal of time. He grabs the wrench and heads back up. As he climbs up, he thinks, “This was supposed to be a simple task; if that stupid old man had been doing it all this time, it can’t be that difficult. Why am I having such a hard time?”
Finally, Joey reaches the top and prepares to tackle the task at hand. And yes, it was as simple as he thought, which makes him mad. Joey climbs down the ladder for the last time after the job is done. The lighthouse keeper offers Joey a glass of iced tea, which he accepts, as he has worked up a sweat. The keeper and Joey stand in silence, looking up at the light burning bright.
The keeper smiles and says, “Thanks for helping me out. I am not as young as I used to be; even the simplest tasks are getting hard to do.”
Joey says under his breath, “Tell me about it.”
“What did you say?”
“Nothing,” Joey says, then asks, “You are a small man who has been here for a long time, how did you manage to carry the light bulb and wrench up there all those years?”
The lighthouse caretaker shows Joey that ear-to-ear smile again and says, “One, I used the wrench that I kept up there, and two, I never took the ladder; I walked up the staircase.”
Moral of the story
Ask questions before you start. Learn from the ones who have come before you.
Understand the dynamics of the situation and then calculate the risks and benefits of your plan.
Completing simple tasks with forethought and finesse can change your life.
