Integrity – Day 1

I heard the water pipes gushing under the house. I was so busy. A busted pipe was the last thing I needed. Whether it was what I needed or not, it was what I had. The high tide frequently banged against the exposed plumbing. Calling the plumber for a quick repair job was part of my duties as condominium president and manager.

I called directory assistance for the number for the local plumber, then I called the plumber. An hour later, two men in plumbing uniforms showed up at the door. I explained the problem. They said they’d get right to it. I went back to work.

An hour later, they pounded on the door again. This time they were scowling.

“You’d better come look,” one of the men said.

I had dealt with these plumbers time and time again. I trusted them.

“Just fix it, please,” I said. “I’m busy.”

Another hour passed. They knocked on the door again. This time, they insisted I come with them.

“What is the problem?” I asked.

They shook their heads, looking concerned. “We can’t repair the pipe that broke,” they said. “The fittings are corroded. It’s bad,” they said. “You’re going to have to replace all the plumbing under the house.”

“Just tell me the bottom line,” I said. “How much is it going to cost.”

“Somewhere between five and seven thousand dollars.”

Now they had my attention. “Show me,” I said.

I went under the house with them. What had previously been a dripping pipe was now a rain shower under the house.

Then, a light went on. There were two plumbing companies by the same name that serviced the area. One was a highly reputable plumber, the one I called all the time. The other by the same name wasn’t.

“Which plumbing company are you with?” I asked. They explained they were the other one. Directory assistance had connected me with the wrong one.

I said they needed to leave immediately. They said they needed to be paid for the time they had worked. I said they hadn’t finished the job. They said it would cost me thousands of dollars for them to complete the work. We were at a standoff. For just a moment, I considered going ahead. After all, I was already into these guys for some money. “Maybe I’ll let them finish the job,” I thought.

Then I remembered, “Don’t dance with the devil.”

“Let’s negotiate,” I said. “I’m going to give you something, but you’re not going to get what you want because I didn’t get what I want.” After some haggling, I paid them a small amount of money and they left.

I called the other plumber. In two hours, the job was properly done. The bill was $87.50.

Encountering integrity can be like a breath of fresh air. A person of integrity has honorable intentions, is trustworthy, and is honest. An air of high drama or manipulation does not surround acts of integrity. Acts of integrity stand on their own.

Value: This week we’ll explore the value of integrity—other people’s and our own.

From the book: 52 Weeks of Conscious Contact

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