Thank You, Earl Newman, Mechanic

It is a true highlight of any day when I can recommend somebody for a job well done and today that's Earl Newman, a guy who runs a mechanic and general handyman business in Lynchburg. Earl's the big gentle dude who rescued me and my broken truck during the snowstorm Sunday.

The truck, which is 15 years old and starting to show its age, came down with a busted bearing (the equivalent of my bad knee--the one I had replaced--I'd surmise) while I was visiting Leah for the weekend in the Hill City. Leah's son, Paul, who seems to know everybody of value in Lynchburg, immediately came up with Earl's name and phone number (434-941-0803) and it took Earl about half an hour from phone call to assessment.

I hadn't even made it out of the house to the driveway to greet him before he had the hubcap off the truck and a diagnosis ready for me. "Easy one," he said. "Bearings." So now, Earl has to tow the truck to his garage. But, his garage is on top of a snow-covered, soggy hill and his tow truck is boxed in there and can't get out. Earl figures it out and the car is soon gone.

Took a day to tow the truck, get the parts and do the work. Earl charged $185 for everything, including pickup and delivery. I said I wouldn't pay that. He looked at me puzzled and apologetic. "Is that too much?" he asked.

"Oh, no, man," I said. "It's far too little." His check was substantially more than that. Sometimes "what the job's worth" is a heck of a lot more than what it costs. That was the case this time. Thanks Earl.