We had some water issues this week, and I called in one of the Big Men In Trucks, Wally Cordell, a plumber. He is a nice and very competent man. He has been to our farmhouse many times before we owned it, he knew where everything was.

Wally Cordell came up to Cambridge nearly 30 years ago to work on a construction job with his friend. He never left. He is one of the Big Men In Trucks I often write about, who -unlike me – understand how the world works and can re-arrange the earth of they need to in order to fix things.

The Big Men In Trucks are honest and straightforward, as long as you are honest and straightforward back, and don’t show too much of that outlander attitude. Since I know nothing about how the world works, and am open about it, I get along well with them.

They are a fascinating and much needed sub-culture of their own up here, many of them come from other places and have a master of mechanical issues.

Most of them have trouble dealing directly with women, they want to talk to me even when I make it clear I have no idea what they are talking about.

Vince Vecchio is one, so is our neighbor Jack Macmillan. Ben Osterhaupt is another.  Our friend Jay Bridge is a Big Man In A Truck, but he is a retired engineer, so we only call him for specialized carpentry or construction work. Ed Watkins is handyman with a small truck, that is a category all of its own.

Tyler Lindenholl (he is returning to work at this year’s Open Houses) is a future Big Man In A Truck. When you need a Big Man In A Truck, you call another one and get a referral. You don’t call anybody in November, that is hunting season, if you need a big man in a truck, you are usually screwed and have to call in somebody from Bennington or Saratoga, and that is expensive.

During hunting season, don’t have a house or water crisis.

Big Men in Trucks always seem to charge less than you expect, and they love bullshitting with one another, they will stop working to yak even if your house is on fire.

I call this talk Grunt and Grumble. They always do what they say they will do and do it well. They are not the least bit interested in my ideas or theories about the work that needs to be done, but they will usually explain what they do in grinding detail, almost all of which goes right over my head. They don’t care.

Some of them will take food and water at lunch.  I will often get them coffee or muffins from the Round House Cafe, they always say no when I ask, but they always eat it when I bring it.

I am  not particularly political, but I don’t talk politics with them, I think they have learned not to do that with customers from the outer world. I’ve learned the same lesson, talking politics seems almost reflexively foolish anywhere.

Wally said he used to work for Florence Walrath, who owned our house before she died. If you showed up 10 minutes later, said  Wally, she’d toss you right out. If you came around lunchtime (which he tried to do), you might get some of her famous apple pie or a stew.

She was tough as nails, he said, with a big heart. Rocky, her pony, used to chase strangers and working people out of the pasture, he said.

Wally is at ease with men and women, he had no trouble talking to Maria. The two of them went into the basement to figure out why our well pump kept turning on and off and he discovered that our water pressure was set on 10 lbs when it should be set to 50. He’s coming back to clean up some other long-neglected issues in our well system, a point well.

Wally went into the basement, found the problem, fixed it in about a half-hour. He had to replace some worn out parts and valves – he told me what he did, but I couldn’t possibly explain it – and the bill was $67. I have never felt uncomfortable with any bill any Big Man In A Truck has ever given me, they don’t take advantage of people, and if you were a plumber and wanted to take advantage of someone, I am a Five-Star candidate, I would never know.

He tried to explain to them, but I can’t understand that stuff and gave up on it long ago. I told him to explain it to Maria, she can talk pipes with anybody.

Wally is from Virginia, he has a soft Southern accent and loves living here. He is considered one of the best plumbers for miles, and  I took out to the pasture to see Red and Fate (well, Red) work with the sheep. Water trouble is a big deal up here, it affects us, the animals, the very nature of a farm.

It is great to know Wally and have him in my contacts list. I couldn’t count how many times the Big Men In Trucks have saved my butt and  helped keep the farm running. Life would not be possible here without them.

Oh, yes, and they all are crazy about dogs.