Alain at Work (September 8)

Dalton’s son, George junior, … led me straight inside.  Alain Leduc was there, too.

A twenty-five horsepower engine idled quietly in a tank near the workbench.… George and I looked on as Alain gingerly turned a screw to control the blend of gas and air. We could hear the engine revving up and down. Alain concentrated on his task. “The carburetor has to be exactly right.” When it purred the way he wanted, he shifted into forward gear but kept the speed as low as possible. The engine shuddered and died. “Too lean.” He shifted into neutral, pulled the starter cord again, and adjusted to a slightly richer mix.”

I wondered out loud whose it was. George replied before his workmate could say anything.

“It’s Alain’s now. A tourist traded it in a couple of weeks ago.” He sounded very pleased. “We got it for a song. The guy thought it was a goner, but Alain worked magic on it. Now it’s as good as new.”

(pp. 99-100)

Yes, Alain’s practical expertise with engine mechanics did provide him with a genuine financial benefit, but there was something more, too: the simple satisfaction derived from self-taught mastery of a skill.

What do you think? Have you ever experienced that kind of satisfaction for yourself, or have you observed it in others? Leave a Comment to share your thoughts.

(Illustration generated by AI)