It was a time I really wasn't home that much. I was busy helping someone's campaign. Between the primary and the main election there was a little bit of breathing room and as luck would have it the hot water heater gave out.

I drove to Home Depot purchased a forty gallon hot water heater, dragged the thing to the basement and started to hook it up. Everything was going fine until the water feed line wouldn't stop dripping. I plumbed everything I could and then tried a few tricks to stop the constant dripping of the water. You can't sweat a joint if there is water present. I didn't try all the tricks I knew because some of the tricks I don't like, like plugging up the pipe with white bread. I think only water should be in a water pipe. I'm odd like that.

I solved my dilemma with a new shut off valve and gravity. I found out that if I tipped the pipe I had enough time to solder one joint but I needed time for two so I soldered on side of a shut off valve to the feed line and then shut the valve off. The new valve solved the dripping problem from the point forward. I was cleaning stuff up when my father walked into the basement.

"I heard we had no hot water."

"Yeah, the heater went," I said as he looked at the water heater, "that's a new one."

He looked over the fittings. I was expecting to hear a disagreement over my choice of how to run the new lines or of a questionable solder joint.

"You put this in?"

I had busied myself with the clean up after I noticed his critical eye and I answered without looking at him.

"Good job" he said before he turned to walk away.

I've heard those words from him before but usually they followed a job that he expected me to do a good job.

Doing the right or good thing was expected.

Doing the right or good thing just broke you even.