Unsung Heroes: Part 1

Behind every small business there are the unsung heroes. These are the people that help keep the business running and supported. Most customers will never even know about the heroes that lurk in the background. They are family, friends and other acquaintances that help the day-to-day running go smoothly or help in a split second when their knowledge can be used.

Part one is fittingly dedicated today to my good friend who is a mechanic. Fittingly because today is actually his birthday. I won’t use his name as he is neither fond of birthdays or attention, but he knows exactly who I am writing about.

A few stories of the great unsung hero himself.

1. Many moons ago I rung him up in a panic saying that my ignition key was making a clicking sound but there was no starter motor kicking in.

In a flash he calmly tells me to put the van into first gear and slowly rock the van backwards and forwards without the handbrake on. Hey presto within 20 seconds the magic trick has worked and we are on our way once again. And I have learnt a new life hack for getting a van started.

2. I am driving through Oslo one day when my battery light appears on the dashboard. Having had the same experience two years earlier with a different van, I suspect that my alternator has just packed up. I immediately call the mechanic and he asks where I am. Luckily I’m less than a kilometre away from where he works.

“Just pop by the shop immediately and I can test if your alternator is broken” he says.

Arriving less than a few minutes later at his shop he is waiting outside and tests immediately to confirm our worst suspicions.

I have four dogs in my van. Without pausing to think he throws me the keys to his station wagon, telling me to put the dogs in there and go take my walk on the East side of Oslo in Østmarka. He says he will ring me in 5 minutes.

No more than 5 minutes later he calls to tell me that after the walk I need to stop by and pick up the new alternator at Veng.

I drop the new alternator back to him straight after the walk and he tells me that by the time I have dropped off the dogs my van will be ready to drive. This is no word of a lie and I pick up my fully functioning van no more than one hour later.

To have friends and a support network who are always selflessly willing to help out the drop of a hat is incredible.

I am eternally grateful to have such people in my life.

Wishing this fantastic unsung hero a very happy birthday today.

Doggies: Tiki, Lucy, Milli, Haraka and Sid