The rest of the story
A True Sign of the Times
Cooper Concrete Co. - Garland, Texas
Cooper Concrete Co. is the oldest family owned ready mix concrete company in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex. Founded by Randall Cooper in 1947. (Garland Concrete, founded by the same man, closed 5 years ago)
I was on my way home today after taking care of some of my dad’s business and drove by this place that I haven’t visited in decades. This is where my dad worked as a job foreman for almost 60 years before retiring 5 years ago when the Garland Concrete side of the company closed. He was 80 when he retired. But there’s so much that came to mind when I passed this place. I had to turn around and go back and get a picture of the sign. The sign hasn’t been changed since I last saw it decades ago, and the only exception is the missing panel on the right side of the post that had the Garland Concrete name on it that was probably removed when that portion of the company closed. The small sign below it is the address. It has not changed either; just ghosted…..
The sign brought back many memories that I’m going to share, because memories like these are hard for me to keep to myself. And since I love to talk I’m gonna talk. So listen carefully. (In this case, peel your eyes back!)
But…….there is an underlying story because of the sign……so here it goes….
True story:
My first taste of what it was like working in construction came at an early age. Back then, 14 was early enough to get a job. Reluctantly, I was recruited by my dad, during many of the summers between school years, to learn what it was like to work; especially in construction. (Before the summer was over he would give me a couple of weeks off to enjoy before the new school year began…….Thanks Dad!)
At the time I didn’t understand his logic in putting me to work with him. I learned it months after graduating from high school.
My dad never had the opportunity as a youngster to go to school since he was needed in the cotton fields and cattle ranches to help make ends meet. But he was much wiser than the credit I gave him back then. I even questioned his love.
He also had his reason for having me work with him,
Although my dad had no education, he wanted to make sure that all of his kids got an education to do better things in life and not end up as he did. Let’s just call it a taste of his wisdom.
Through those years he and Mom paid tuition to a private school so we would get a good education (and it wasn’t cheap either) plus a spiritual education at that!
And through those years he would harp at us at times to think about what we were planning to do once we graduated. (That would make you wonder if he wasn’t trying to get you out of the house quicker; if you know what I mean)……. I had no idea whether I wanted to go to college or not. I knew it would be expensive and wasn’t sure if we could afford it, so I chose not to go. But there was a dilemma, I still didn’t know what I wanted to do in life! I had one major idea but it would take up much time and I would still need some college. (Growing up I wanted to be an astronaut!)
Right after graduation, I got a week off to enjoy some freedom before he put me to work with him. I was definitely needing to do something different. I certainly didn’t want to be working in this business for the rest of my life. The summer came and went. Then came fall, and then winter.
When working in the heat of the summer you tend to lose quite a bit of weight; and I didn’t have much of it to spare either……. and winter was no better with its many days of bitter cold. And being the son of the boss was not any better. I even accused him once of working me harder than the rest of his crew! (And he did! But I’ll get to that in a bit).
As Paul Harvey would say, (I loved listening to him), “now, the rest of the story!”
I got up on this particular cold morning (a Monday at that) in February of 1974, and went to the plant with my dad. Sleet and snow had fallen over the weekend, leaving the yards and homes covered in snow and ice.
By Monday morning the streets were navigable.
While at the shop I started loading the 1 1/2 ton work truck with the materials he had requested. Needless to say, he came out and told everyone that there was no way we could pour concrete that day, and then sent everyone home. That was a blessing in disguise; so there was a benefit for this inclement weather.
That afternoon, after leaving the home of the girl I was dating, I took a different route home through Richardson to avoid backroads that may still have ice on them. (one of those wise decisions I had made that day). As I approached the intersection of two major streets, I noticed a large banner on the west side of a building with the statement, “Grand Opening Two weeks…. Now Hiring”….
At that moment I decided to stop there and see what they had to offer.
Roughly, forty minutes later, I had a job in the engineering department of Sears Roebuck & Co. (Another wise decision).
I left there and went home to tell my dad that I had gotten a job at Sears and would be starting the following Monday and this was my notice to him. I thought he would be elated by that, but his response to that was, “you’re supposed to give me two weeks notice!”
The following Monday I started the new job where I would spend the next 13 years as assistant building engineer and eventually move up to building engineer.
A few months later he and I were having a round table discussion (on a rectangular shaped table) and the subject of work came up.
I told him I had something that I wanted to ask him. So I asked, “all that time that I worked for you, why did you work me harder than the rest of the crew?”
His response to me was, “I wanted you to learn something important. If you’re going to work in concrete, you’re either going learn to love it or learn to hate it! And I’m glad you chose to get out of it.”
That day, I understood him and saw him a little differently than I had before. From then on he and I have shared many adventures together.
Today, as executor to his estate, I spend time taking care of the many things he’s unable to, such as finances, bills, taxes, doctors appointments……..you name, I’m sure I’m doing it, and I wouldn’t change any of it for the world. His time is precious…….
And now you know……the REST of the story!
The rest of the story
A True Sign of the Times
Cooper Concrete Co. - Garland, Texas
Cooper Concrete Co. is the oldest family owned ready mix concrete company in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex. Founded by Randall Cooper in 1947. (Garland Concrete, founded by the same man, closed 5 years ago)
I was on my way home today after taking care of some of my dad’s business and drove by this place that I haven’t visited in decades. This is where my dad worked as a job foreman for almost 60 years before retiring 5 years ago when the Garland Concrete side of the company closed. He was 80 when he retired. But there’s so much that came to mind when I passed this place. I had to turn around and go back and get a picture of the sign. The sign hasn’t been changed since I last saw it decades ago, and the only exception is the missing panel on the right side of the post that had the Garland Concrete name on it that was probably removed when that portion of the company closed. The small sign below it is the address. It has not changed either; just ghosted…..
The sign brought back many memories that I’m going to share, because memories like these are hard for me to keep to myself. And since I love to talk I’m gonna talk. So listen carefully. (In this case, peel your eyes back!)
But…….there is an underlying story because of the sign……so here it goes….
True story:
My first taste of what it was like working in construction came at an early age. Back then, 14 was early enough to get a job. Reluctantly, I was recruited by my dad, during many of the summers between school years, to learn what it was like to work; especially in construction. (Before the summer was over he would give me a couple of weeks off to enjoy before the new school year began…….Thanks Dad!)
At the time I didn’t understand his logic in putting me to work with him. I learned it months after graduating from high school.
My dad never had the opportunity as a youngster to go to school since he was needed in the cotton fields and cattle ranches to help make ends meet. But he was much wiser than the credit I gave him back then. I even questioned his love.
He also had his reason for having me work with him,
Although my dad had no education, he wanted to make sure that all of his kids got an education to do better things in life and not end up as he did. Let’s just call it a taste of his wisdom.
Through those years he and Mom paid tuition to a private school so we would get a good education (and it wasn’t cheap either) plus a spiritual education at that!
And through those years he would harp at us at times to think about what we were planning to do once we graduated. (That would make you wonder if he wasn’t trying to get you out of the house quicker; if you know what I mean)……. I had no idea whether I wanted to go to college or not. I knew it would be expensive and wasn’t sure if we could afford it, so I chose not to go. But there was a dilemma, I still didn’t know what I wanted to do in life! I had one major idea but it would take up much time and I would still need some college. (Growing up I wanted to be an astronaut!)
Right after graduation, I got a week off to enjoy some freedom before he put me to work with him. I was definitely needing to do something different. I certainly didn’t want to be working in this business for the rest of my life. The summer came and went. Then came fall, and then winter.
When working in the heat of the summer you tend to lose quite a bit of weight; and I didn’t have much of it to spare either……. and winter was no better with its many days of bitter cold. And being the son of the boss was not any better. I even accused him once of working me harder than the rest of his crew! (And he did! But I’ll get to that in a bit).
As Paul Harvey would say, (I loved listening to him), “now, the rest of the story!”
I got up on this particular cold morning (a Monday at that) in February of 1974, and went to the plant with my dad. Sleet and snow had fallen over the weekend, leaving the yards and homes covered in snow and ice.
By Monday morning the streets were navigable.
While at the shop I started loading the 1 1/2 ton work truck with the materials he had requested. Needless to say, he came out and told everyone that there was no way we could pour concrete that day, and then sent everyone home. That was a blessing in disguise; so there was a benefit for this inclement weather.
That afternoon, after leaving the home of the girl I was dating, I took a different route home through Richardson to avoid backroads that may still have ice on them. (one of those wise decisions I had made that day). As I approached the intersection of two major streets, I noticed a large banner on the west side of a building with the statement, “Grand Opening Two weeks…. Now Hiring”….
At that moment I decided to stop there and see what they had to offer.
Roughly, forty minutes later, I had a job in the engineering department of Sears Roebuck & Co. (Another wise decision).
I left there and went home to tell my dad that I had gotten a job at Sears and would be starting the following Monday and this was my notice to him. I thought he would be elated by that, but his response to that was, “you’re supposed to give me two weeks notice!”
The following Monday I started the new job where I would spend the next 13 years as assistant building engineer and eventually move up to building engineer.
A few months later he and I were having a round table discussion (on a rectangular shaped table) and the subject of work came up.
I told him I had something that I wanted to ask him. So I asked, “all that time that I worked for you, why did you work me harder than the rest of the crew?”
His response to me was, “I wanted you to learn something important. If you’re going to work in concrete, you’re either going learn to love it or learn to hate it! And I’m glad you chose to get out of it.”
That day, I understood him and saw him a little differently than I had before. From then on he and I have shared many adventures together.
Today, as executor to his estate, I spend time taking care of the many things he’s unable to, such as finances, bills, taxes, doctors appointments……..you name, I’m sure I’m doing it, and I wouldn’t change any of it for the world. His time is precious…….
And now you know……the REST of the story!