CARLTON FLETCHER: Coping with tomorrow’s economic issues today

“Baby, I sure wish I could lend you a hand, But plumbing’s one thing I don’t understand.”

— Weird Al Yankovich

During his timely and well-received New Georgia Economy seminar at Albany State University Thursday, Georgia Chamber President/CEO Chris Clark asked a question that hit home with me.

“Where,” Clark asked, “are our next generation of plumbers, electricians and carpenters going to come from?”

I might alter his somewhat rhetorical question somewhat: Where the hell are today’s plumbers, electricians and carpenters?

I know, I know. We all have our crosses to bear, and where several of you have the best tradesmen on speed dial, ready to respond to your calls at a moment’s notice, others of us have not been so lucky. I’m one such individual.

My issues started with small leaks in the bathroom sink and tub. Fortunately, I’d met a fantastic plumber through a friend, someone who’d done work for me before and had proven to be reliable.

Unfortunately, that plumber had run into some … let’s just call them “personal issues” since we’d last talked. He showed up, as promised, asked for $50 to “buy parts I need,” and then disappeared. He called a couple of times to assure me he was going to be by soon, then just quit calling altogether.

Well, those leaks got so bad, so we started looking for someone else to do the job. Our friend, though, said the original plumber had gotten his act together, and she — knowing our plight — had encouraged him to reach back out to us. He did.

Very apologetically, he vaguely explained his issues, then said he’d get to work on those leaks. (By now, though, there was a clog problem added to the list.) He futzed around for a couple of hours, needed $40 for parts, left with one leak twice as bad as before and the other so bad the cold water line had to be cut off completely, and disappeared into wherever it is plumbers with personal issues go.

Having kissed that $90 goodbye and still with increasingly leaking faucets (the clog was cleared), a series of recommended plumbers was contacted. The first said he’d be there within a period of three or four days (that was two weeks ago), and another who said it wouldn’t take him long to fix the issues hasn’t even bothered to call back.

And I’m sitting here going, “Look, I obviously am dumb enough to pay you before you even do the work if you’ll at least show up,” but that doesn’t seem to be the case.

Same thing with electricians. I had an electrical issue that has left a part of the house dark for the last eight or nine months, and the person who was going to “take care of that little problem” has been “going to be there in the next couple of days” is another monthslong no-show.

One thing that the pandemic has shone a light on is the lack of qualified — and, especially, available — skilled and specialized tradesmen. Maybe there’s a secret code or a process you have to go through to get someone around here to come and at least look at your issues, but I haven’t been able to crack that code. Others have told me “their” plumber or electrician would take care of the issues for me, but, again, I haven’t heard from any of them.

So, Chris Clark, while you fret over the plumbers, electricians and carpenters of tomorrow, I’m sitting here with leaking pipes and dark portions of my abode today. If there is anyone out there who knows the secret to getting a reliable plumber and/or electrician who will actually show up, please let me know who that is and how to get in touch with them.

They’ll know my house … it’s the one with all the leaks that’s apparently been doused with plumber repellant.