Laugh While You Work

Because the best days at work don’t feel like work at all.

I like my job. I’m a real estate agent — and I’m damn good at it, if I do say so. The messier the project starts, the sweeter it feels when it comes together.

The secret? I’ve got the best contractors in town on my team.
That’s where this guy comes in.
You know the type. Bucket hat, big grin, cool as the other side of the pillow.

Call him anytime: “Hello, Sunshine!” And you’ll smile every damn time. Doesn’t matter who you are or what kind of day it is. That’s his magic. It’s like someone yelling squirrel! You’re gonna look, and you’re gonna grin.

The man never gets rattled. Not even when he’s got a full-blown, card-carrying, self-important jerk breathing down his neck. He just nods, agrees, and moves on. But if you’re paying attention, you’ll see it. That smile shifts, just a little. And you know — oh, you know that smile just branded the guy a pain in the ass — nothing special, nothing he hasn’t dealt with a thousand times before.

That’s his gift. He makes the workday feel like a tailgate party. Laughter is the fuel, and he just keeps rolling — building, fixing, problem solving, making it all come together without breaking a sweat.

What really gets me is, half the time he’s not just fixing things, he’s troubleshooting. Client says, “Can we maybe open this wall up a little?” and the bucket hat guy hears, “Remove a load-bearing wall? What could possibly go wrong?” He just smiles, nods, and turns it into something that won’t collapse the house — or the budget. Now that’s a gift in itself.

Spoiler alert: the bucket hat guy isn’t the whole show. His boss is the other half of that one-two punch. And while plenty of other team members keep the wheels turning, those two set the tone for everybody else.

So, here’s to the bucket hat guys, the backbone of the job site, who somehow make work feel like play. The ones who remind you that life’s too short to take so damn seriously. They keep the wheels turning, so the job can just keep rolling right along.

I count myself lucky to work with folks like this. And if you don’t have a “Hello, Sunshine” in your life? Get one!

The Condition — equal parts grin, grit, and good stories.