I posted last time about depending on trusted craftsmen and appreciating and enjoying the dance of several guys working together in productive brotherhood. One of the men working with me lately is a friend I met a few years ago at a real estate investment seminar.  His name is Steven.

Steven is a talented carpenter/contractor and a genuinely good guy to be around. We have a nice friendship developing, aside from our work association.  I like him a lot.  He has a really pleasant air about him as he quietly and knowledgeably goes about his work.

We discuss business and real estate investment together, and I think we both gravitate toward people with honest values and integrity.  Steven had signed on to study closely with the real estate investment trainer offering the program where we met.  This man has been very successful and owns hundreds of properties.

Yesterday I asked him if he was still involved with this man.  He said no, this guy proved himself to be too slick and of less than honest character.  This guy and a partner on a distressed property deal had asked Steven to do some renovation work on this particular property and then tried to weasel out of paying him what was agreed on for the work, plus incidental supplies that Steven paid for with his own money.

Needless to say, their working relationship is over.  Steven smiled philosophically as he told me that they finally settled on a reduced labor charge, which could well have been the investor’s plan all along.  What a pity.

It makes me think how I really appreciate people of solid, ethical, kind character who treat others well.  Those are the people I want in my life.