Several years ago, I posted here about my Roadkill set. Short version: spotted what looked like a socket beside the interstate in town. Circled back, found 42 sockets, ratchets, extensions scattered along 100' of highway, all but a couple Craftsman. Organized, put on rails, added a couple that were missing, put it all in a Craftsman mini truck box-flattish plastic, fits under the front seat.
They've been handy to have. I don't use mechanics' tools much in my work, but it's sure been nice to have them sitting there the once or twice a month I need them. Beats using pliers to do a wrench's job!
So, fast forward to late December - I reached for said toolbox and it was gone.
I ALWAYS kept it in the truck, but searched house, garage, van, nada. I went back over my schedule (and memory) and decided the last place I was certain I'd used it was a bit over a hundred miles away. I had a service call that was about 1/3 of the way there, so back I went. No dice. I am well aware that the total $ I had in that box was way less than the cost of 130 miles of driving plus my time, but I was in the grip of a compulsion!!
Yesterday, I went back to finish a job started earlier and was grousing to the new manager that I needed a saw, and had left my drywall saw at another site I would be returning to. She said there was a box of tools that was there when she took over, but didn't know what was in it. She brought it out - my box!! No way, I told myself, there must be tens of thousands of those little Craftsman boxes floating around. So I told her the story and described what the contents would be if it were mine. We opened it, and Shazzam!! It was mine!! Happy Dance doesn't begin to describe my elation!
So I guess now I understand the parable of The Prodigal Son - having lost and regained it, that box of tools seems even more precious than the tools that are more of more practical value to me because I use them all the time.
The frustrating thing about all this is I can't remember why I had the toolbox in that particular site in the first place!
They've been handy to have. I don't use mechanics' tools much in my work, but it's sure been nice to have them sitting there the once or twice a month I need them. Beats using pliers to do a wrench's job!
So, fast forward to late December - I reached for said toolbox and it was gone.
I ALWAYS kept it in the truck, but searched house, garage, van, nada. I went back over my schedule (and memory) and decided the last place I was certain I'd used it was a bit over a hundred miles away. I had a service call that was about 1/3 of the way there, so back I went. No dice. I am well aware that the total $ I had in that box was way less than the cost of 130 miles of driving plus my time, but I was in the grip of a compulsion!!
Yesterday, I went back to finish a job started earlier and was grousing to the new manager that I needed a saw, and had left my drywall saw at another site I would be returning to. She said there was a box of tools that was there when she took over, but didn't know what was in it. She brought it out - my box!! No way, I told myself, there must be tens of thousands of those little Craftsman boxes floating around. So I told her the story and described what the contents would be if it were mine. We opened it, and Shazzam!! It was mine!! Happy Dance doesn't begin to describe my elation!
So I guess now I understand the parable of The Prodigal Son - having lost and regained it, that box of tools seems even more precious than the tools that are more of more practical value to me because I use them all the time.
The frustrating thing about all this is I can't remember why I had the toolbox in that particular site in the first place!
![20161231_162004[1].jpg](/forum/data/attachments/564/564162-c2144b9e839b4764aee56d796a11e5d5.jpg)
. I once lost my favourite set of diagonal pliers doing hotel maintenance. 64 rooms, bar, lounge, cafe, and dining room, I searched for weeks. About 18 months later I found them inside a suspended ceiling above the lounge when we were renovating, along with 4 other pliers from others over the years.