Great stories on your experiences guys / gals. What made me really post this, was from last week, when I'm in the middle of a complete undercarriage job on a pc300 on location of the quarry site. I walk out to my service truck to grab a socket, and see a 769 truck coming up there like he was going to a fire. Sounding the air horn and waving his arms. I WAVE back and continued to go back into the shop. The lube guy that was giving me hand said, I think he wants to talk to you. And sure enough he did, I just about had a seizure. I pretty much did my venting to the lube guy, stating, how rude for him to want me to just drop my s@#t and try to have a conversation while he's standing on the catwalk and me on the ground over the engine noise. It just wasn't going to happen that way. Willie59's reply hit the nail on the head, when it pertains to older mechanics to younger ones. But when it involves a older mechanic and young operator, it can be a little different. Don't get me wrong, we have a bunch of excellent young operators that understand how things work around here. I will just have to make it black & white for him to understand that he just needs to park his truck, crawl down from his truck & tell me about his truck away from the noise. Love the stories about the special a-holes in your lives, that have made you engage your brain to think on your own! I sure remember my first one! It was my brother, he's 10 years older than me, and not a mechanic either. We we're raised up on a farm my dad started, we lost him in '76, my brother tried running it afterwards. As time went by and I was about 11 or 12, we had a mower that smoked a lot, that I decided to take the engine apart to fix it. I had the engine scattered on the garage floor in pieces and was cleaning parts, when my brother walked through and saw what was happening, I thought oh crap I'm going to get a talking to. The only thing he said, was a mumble stating, well that will never run again! As he walked on. I thought to myself, what an a-hole! That comment was more fuel to add to my motivation in to getting the job done and to prove him wrong. Had mom take me to town so I could get parts, because I was to young to drive. I did get the mower running again & not burn oil. That was one of the most happiest times in my life, gave me self worth, and has helped lead me where I am today.. I did have a engine manual to read & study, it was a 8 hp Kohler. On a wegel scooter mower, simular to a heckendorn mower. I'm a firm believer that God does wire us up to be who we are going to be at a early age, as well as putting those special mentors into our lives. Cause looking back now, at my age, I'm not really sure how I pulled that one off.