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over comming adversity.

| A Day in the Life of a Scrapper
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    EcoSafe started this thread.
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    over comming adversity.

    I post this story to show those under duress , where there is a will there is a way.
    experienced scrappers are well aware that scrapping as a business is not an easy quick buck if your looking for more then beer money, and that most outsiders, and some newbs are convinced that it is untill they try it.

    the obsticals put infront of a successful scrap busisness are actually many more then most and success depends on a lot more things then most. An e scrapper for instance buys 40,000 of e scrap when gold is at $1850 and before he gets it shipped gold drops to $1500. many here reciently went through that very nightmare.



    Yesterday was a microcosm of that very senario allbe it on a micro scale.
    I went from weeks of coduling, begging, planing, racking my brain, all culminating in the sucessful aquisition of a couple 1000 lbs of tin and 50 to 100 computers servers ect.

    after days, i finally convinced my wife that we needed to rent a large u haull to go pick up a load, so she schedules the truck for yesterday morning. on the way to pick up the truck she needed to stop into the DR. office for a minor check up. Bear in mind this load needed to be picked up yesterday or I was going to loose it. after coming out of the DR office she says I need to run over to the clinic and get some blood work done. ok another minor delay no biggie. an hour later she comes out of the clinic whith a shief full of instructions, turns out she is going to have to go in for a heart stint in 10 days, and has a handfull of perscriptions, including nitro pills and one of the instructions is absolutly NO DRIVING, I WAS LITTERLY SICK TO MY STOMACH AT THAT NEWS. I had just lost every thing I had worked for for the last 2 weeks, and no, 0, prospects. Thursday afternoon I got a call from my dr. with the results of a sonogram I had last week, diagnoses was probable liver cancer, again no biggie I have been battling these type things for the last 6 or 7 years. But the thought of loosing my "whale" was devistating.

    I was in a real funk, setting in the back seat on the way home with no load and no prospects. I happen to glance up an just ahead in the right lane is a big old long rusty trailer with a couple of refrigerators on it. so I tell my mother in law , pull up beside that black pick up. I yell to the guy, are you a scrapper or an appliance repair guy. The word was undescribably sweet to my ears, "scrapper" floated across the sweet morning air to my old, tired ears.

    to make a long story short. it turns out the guy lives about 2 miles from me 30 miles north of Panama city. i offered him $50 to haul a load to my house in order to save my Whale, he had two helpers with him, and it ended up he with his helpers made 2 trips, 2 loads, they loaded one trip with computers and the secound load with heavy refers, freezers and appliances and never asked for another dime. These men, my friends, are what the true family of scrappers are all about, and this true story is what scrapping is all about. self reliance, thinking on your feet, and doing what ever necessary to get the job done.

    Today thanks to fellow scrappers im on my way, riding high, tomarrow I May be dead in the water again, that my friends is the life we have chosen, and to those of you out there think is all about a quick buck, think again. best wishes to all. mcw.

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    Oldude....you are a marvel.....what would we you without you ?? I hope we don't have to find out for a long time. You are such an inspiration and example of fortitude, determination wisdom and genuine kindness.

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    Olddude,

    I am sorry to hear about you and your wife. You have my prayers..on the better note, glad to hear that evening though some obstacles hit you, you over came them quickly and saved everything.

    A lot of people think that running a business is easy, and we all make millions of dollars. I only wish both of those assumptions were easily correct!

    You, and a few others have helped me to improve my recycling company beyond what it was when I joined here many months ago.

    You and a few others are also inspiration to me on how big I want this particular company to get to.
    George Beale - Founder & President - info@viprecyclingjunkremoval.com
    VIP Recycling Junk Removal LLC - Premier Scrap Metal, Junk, & Electronic Recyclers!
    http://www.viprecyclingjunkremoval.com

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    best wishes for your wife! and a great story about overcoming adversity indeed.

    Wish we were closer, I could offer some equipment for you to use.

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    WE are close...wish I had some equipment to offer !!

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    Heart disease? Liver cancer? And you're more worried about your business? That's dedication alright. I truly hope for the best for you and your wife and I will keep you in my prayers.
    Success consists of going from failure to failure without a loss of enthusiasm...... Churchill

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    lol i'm just not the type to sit arround and wait to die. Back when I was raceing, I won sportsman of the year one year. the plaque on the trophy read, "to heaven or hel* he will do his dam nest to get there first." that was the NASCAR WESTERN GRAND NATIONAL SEARIES. 1969, I finished 5th in the point standings that year.

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    I must say olddude, you never cease to amaze me! You are an inspiration to me!
    AMERICAN BORN, AMERICAN BRED! AND I'M PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!!!

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    to make a long story short. it turns out the guy lives about 2 miles from me 30 miles north of Panama city. i offered him $50 to haul a load to my house in order to save my Whale, he had two helpers with him, and it ended up he with his helpers made 2 trips, 2 loads, they loaded one trip with computers and the secound load with heavy refers, freezers and appliances and never asked for another dime. These men, my friends, are what the true family of scrappers are all about, and this true story is what scrapping is all about. self reliance, thinking on your feet, and doing what ever necessary to get the job done.

    Today thanks to fellow scrappers im on my way, riding high, tomarrow I May be dead in the water again, that my friends is the life we have chosen, and to those of you out there think is all about a quick buck, think again. best wishes to all. mcw.[/QUOTE]

    Olddude: It's quite the opposite here in Hamilton. Out of the 25 "regulars" at the scrap yard we deal with, I can only think of 3 guys that would give you the shirt off their back.
    For instance, this summer my wife and I were parked in an industrial complex area. We were outside the truck smoking, our daughter comes out with us from time to time. Two different scrappers, that go to our yard, drove right up beside us and kept going. I know if it were us, we stop and offer assistance. At times, it seems that some of them are praying that the others truck breaks down.
    There's quite a bit of thieves here also.

    Sometimes it's like road warriors, you should see special bulk pickup days. Man, any body with truck, minivan, car, bike trailers, and even grocery carts are out and about. Guys racing doing a side street to beat the guys on the next block. It's is nuts being a scrapper here.
    However, we've been at it here for quite awhile and you can help but to like Betty, things are pretty good for us.
    The odd scrapper we have issues with but you love em' all.

    Anyhow that is my 2 cents.

    I am glad it worked out for you, maybe you can make a deal with him if your driver is down?
    Been there, done that enough times. Just be careful where you take him, you might just see him on your route the next week.

    Scott and Betty
    Diva Pickers

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    Quote Originally Posted by olddude View Post
    lol i'm just not the type to sit arround and wait to die. Back when I was raceing, I won sportsman of the year one year. the plaque on the trophy read, "to heaven or hel* he will do his dam nest to get there first." that was the NASCAR WESTERN GRAND NATIONAL SEARIES. 1969, I finished 5th in the point standings that year.
    Anytime you want to talk about your racing days I'd love to hear it. Loved the race cars you guys built back then. They actually resembled "stock" cars!

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    As my dad always said...put your back to the wall, tuck your head down and keep swinging till you cant swing no more. ..... God bless ya man and hope it all turns out okay for ya.....

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    Quote Originally Posted by IronPirate View Post
    Anytime you want to talk about your racing days I'd love to hear it. Loved the race cars you guys built back then. They actually resembled "stock" cars!
    Yeah now u talkin ! Com on olddude, tell us alil bout them days! that'd make for somegood conversation.

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    I will tell you this, old and feble as I am if some one pulled in my drive with a race car I would probably kil my self but Id drive that car. once its in your blood it never goes away.

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