Cutting wood has got to be one of the hardest, most unprofitable ways to make a living, at least around here. Around here, wood goes for $85- $140 dollars a cord and that’s split and delivered. That’s a whole lot of work and expense for not much money.
So, I find this guy’s number in the local free classifieds, saying he has some wood for sale. I call him and he talks to me for about ten minutes saying that he doesn’t own a chainsaw but if he can buy or borrow one he will get some wood to sell me. He tells me about how he is homeless and has kids and that they are staying with friends until they can get their own place.
That was about 3 weeks ago. Then last night, just before dark, he calls me and says he has a load of wood. At first, I don’t know who it is and he says, “I’m the gentleman that listed wood for sale in the classifieds.”
I say, “Great, bring it on over.”
He asks me where I live and I tell him. But he is fifty miles away.
I said, “I thought you lived around here.” and he says, ” Yeah, I do, but I cut this load of wood for someone else in a different town and they aren’t home and I don’t have enough money to buy gas to get home.”
I say, “Well, just park at an intersection with a “for sale” sign out. This time of year lots of people are looking for wood to buy.”
For some reason he puts me on three way calling with his mom and dad. Finally, the dad says he will loan his son some gas money till he gets paid for the wood. But the guy decides to see if he could sell it in town or maybe wait for the guy he was supposed to sell it to, to come home.
He says that he will go get me some wood on Thursday. I tell him that it may snow by then. He said, “That’s why we are hoping it won’t.”
