I wanted to be an HVAC technician when I graduated from high school.
When I found out I was going to need to go back to school, I knew it would not happen. I had always had a problem with learning. I couldn’t comprehend what I read. If someone showed me something, it stuck with me forever. If I read it, two days later I forgot everything I had read. My best friend’s dad was an HVAC technician. I wanted to talk to him, but I didn’t want my friend to know. I called him one afternoon when my friend was at basketball practice and asked if I could talk to him. He told me to come down to his office. When I walked in, he looked worried and asked if I was okay? I told him how I had problems in school. I was a good reader, but the comprehension was a big problem with me. I had worked with him during the summer, and he seemed to think I was kidding. He sat there watching me as I talked, and he finally asked me what he could do for me? I told him that I wanted to be an HVAC technician. I also told him I wouldn’t be able to make it through school. He tented his fingers and continued to stare at me. He asked if I would be interested in an apprenticeship. I could work on the weekends and during the summer. I jumped up and shook his hand thanking him for the opportunity. He told me he would help me get my certification if I worked out alright and I still wanted to be an HVAC technician when the summer was over.