That old guy probably showed you how a trowel is just an extension of your hand. Makes you realize it's not about the tool but how you move it. Ever notice how your grip changes for different tasks?

Wait, you feel that way about your own life? Like brushing your teeth or driving to work feels like a cliffhanger? That's wild... I just do the stuff and move on. I guess I never stop to wonder what's next after I finish my coffee. The whole day just happens.

Wait, is a grommet the metal ring in the fabric? Because if the pole tip was messed up, that's a pole problem, not a rainfly problem. That tiny burr would mess up any hole it tried to go into.

My dad and I spent a whole Saturday trying to get his old truck's carburetor right when I was fifteen. Aaronburns is totally right, it was never about the truck. It's that weird quiet focus where you finally ask the real questions. Honestly, we just don't make time for that kind of slow, frustrating stuff anymore, and it feels like we're missing a piece. Tbh, hiring out every little job gets it done, but it steals those chances to just be stuck together figuring life out.

Sounds like you just missed some payments.