The Tokens

Chapter 7Relationships

The following week, Eric woke at the crack of dawn and worked late into the day. Building a house took a lot of work, and being the general contractor meant it was up to him to make sure no detail was overlooked. From day one, he intended to be there to answer any questions or handle any crisis, large or small, during the process.

Eric had been so busy he'd totally forgotten about Carl and the tokens, until he stopped to get his mail on Wednesday evening and found an envelope from his friend. True to his word, it contained a token with the word Optimism inscribed on it, as well as another token—this one inscribed with the word Relationships.

Hmmm, he thought, I'm not sure this token applies to me. He had never encountered any issues with the people he worked with in the past. Then again, he'd never overseen a large project with many crews before. Thus far, though, there hadn't been any issues. His workers had all shown up on time and knew their jobs well enough that they didn't require micromanaging. They were professionals, and that was precisely why Eric had chosen each subcontractor. If corners had to be cut, it would never be in the quality of craftsmanship that went into the house.

It was a plus, too, that Eric had a good relationship with his subcontractors. Right away, he let them know that he was there to help them in any way he could. And he meant it. A bad relationship could not only make for a miserable day, but it could also have a real impact ...