The Tokens

Chapter 2Dreams of Business

The next morning, Eric sat down with coffee to plan his week. He expected to finish the addition to the Bradford house before the end of the week, but he didn't have any major projects lined up after that. With the exception of a few small jobs that often were passed on to him by larger general contractors, business was slow. Looking for work wasn't new to him, but it wasn't something he enjoyed having to do.

He'd always loved building things and had started at a young age. From birdhouses to porch benches, he had developed his craft. When he got out of high school, he became an apprentice for a builder and worked on actual homes. The end product was always a source of pride for him, and he knew this was what he wanted to do with his life.

However, Eric wanted to own his very own company. He didn't want to work for someone else, like his father had all of his life. He wanted to be more like his grandfather, who had been a successful business owner. Eric always admired his grandfather's lifestyle and often wished his father had followed in those footsteps, instead of punching a time clock without any real chance of getting ahead. The security and stability that would come from owning his own business enticed him to become an independent contractor.

He'd always been a hard worker and someone who took pride in doing a good job. He was a stickler for details and always strove for perfection. But after eight years in the business, Eric still struggled to ...