Hommel Mangas
There’s a children’s book called, “When you Give a Mouse a Cookie.” The grown-up, real-life version of that book is called, “When You Ask Your Brother a Question.”
I hung out with two of my bros last Thursday. We were building stuff.
What actually occurred was that two weeks ago when I was in North Carolina with my chirohubby, while he was in his seminar. I accidentally got on Facebook Marketplace and saw some already-made outdoor bench tables for displaying and growing plants for my business. The seller was in Greensburg and was selling a dozen of them for $100 each.
I happened to share the post with my electrician bro Kevin at 9:30 a.m., asking flippantly, “How much do you think it cost to make one of these plant tables — Steve and I were just talking about making some.”
Within nine minutes — by 9:49 a.m. to be exact — my brother returned my text with an itemized materials list:
“2 — 4x4x8-feet treated posts $11.85 each ($23.70)
2 — 2x4x8-feet treated board $3.88 each ($7.76)
2 — 2x4x12-feet treated board $8.78 each ($17.56)
1 — roll of 14-guage galvanized steel welded wire
36-by-50 $44.97 ($8.00 per table – wire will cover six forms)
Misc. materials (screws & nails) $5
If all new materials…$62.02 per table/bench”
I offered the Facebook Marketplace seller $75 per table, but was trying to figure out how I’d transport them all with the legs on.
Kevin joked that he offered the guy $80 per table.
A week later amidst other texts my bro, who is exactly 20-months younger than me, texted:
Kevin: “Did you get your greenhouse/plants tables?”
Me: “No, he sold them quickly the next day — Steve and I are gonna make some.”
Kevin: “I figure we can make them in 22-minutes per table — plus or minus two-minutes.
I just gave him the “ha-ha” response and went on with life, until he texted me back last Monday.
Kevin: “I’m thinking Thursday morning to build the benches, talked to David (younger Millwright brother) about helping as well. We can build them in his garage and transport them to your house, add the legs before we flip them in place. David has some leftover 4-by-4 posts for your table legs.”
One moment I was asking my brother a question, the next minute I’m meeting him to pick up lumber and helping zip screws into the forms. A few of the “U” staples that I hammered in may be slightly crooked when applying the wire, but only because my brothers were making me laugh.
Because David had leftover 4-by-4’s, the eight table/benches we made came to a cost of $50 each. And the quickest wire-covered bench-building time was 7 minutes 66 seconds — without the legs being attached.
Who needs cookies when God gave you brothers?
Janet Hommel Mangas grew up on the east side of Greenwood. The Center Grove area resident and her husband are the parents of three daughters. Send comments to [email protected].
