Reflecting Badly - Part Dos

What's That Guy Doing?!

Knowing and working with Mike "The Asphalt Mariner" certainly eased my transition into Marina-Life. When your boat's broke and won't go then Mike is the man to know: he's been around the marina long enough to become a fixture, and folks trust his advice (or ignore it at their own risk) .

Because he fixes and works on boats, Mike's livelihood either thrives or dies by his reputation: a marine technician who ruins engines, mis-wires circuit panels and burns up boats, steals, overcharges or crashes customers' yachts into pilings can't expect much in the way of repeat business. So there's not much point in Mike cutting corners, looking for shortcuts, making excuses or doing things half-way.

Being known as "the guy who works for Mike" is lots better than being called "that guy who kills time wandering around the marina." Being known as "the guy who works for Mike" almost automatically tells folks I must be OK, and surely saves me lots n' lots of grief all the way 'round.

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But while working for Mike might let me enjoy short rides on the coattails of his reputation, being associated also comes with the responsibility of measuring-up on my end of the skill stick.

If Mike can do impossible things like dock a 100-ft houseboat in a 15 knot crosswind all by himself, then by association folks at least expect me to be capable of maneuvering Calypso back and forth across the marina without blitzing through the No Wake Zone, running aground, crashing into piers or gouging holes in the hull trying to dock my own boat.

Week-enders and pleasure-boaters lacking full-time commitment may have book-fulls of excuses for their mistakes and poor judgement, but Mike knows there's no excuse that'll cover pride, laziness, getting distracted, losing focus & control, compromising or simply not caring and giving up.

Doesn't matter if a beer-guzzling pontoon pilot suddenly cuts me off, or if an unexpected wind gust tries blowing Calypso sideways into another boat ... or even if I'm trying to dock moving backwards at night on just one engine: It's always got to be done to the best of my ability ... because I'm associated with Mike and represent him in my actions.

Otherwise my ineptitude (or carelessness) makes Mike look bad ... and might cause folks to start wondering "Why did Mike hire that guy?" ... and whether Mike's really the best after all.

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I'm not perfect, not ever. Mike doesn't expect me to be and knows I have my share of bad days like everybody else.

But I don't start thinking "At least I'm better than so-and-so" or become complacent with "Heck, that's good enough" or ever forget for a moment who's the boss and why he's charge ... much less start criticizing or debating Mike for wanting to teach me and correct my mistakes.

And Woe be upon me if I ever tried the silliness of slipping an excuse past the boss.

Because my actions, my behavior and my commitment reflect and represent someone who's better, knows infinitely more and whose been around a whole lot longer than I have ... someone who by reputation is known all around as being The Best.