A guy on a '70's Raleigh rode up to my shop door last week. It had been a very busy day and I had just gotten back from some errands and was not super pumped to see a stranger at my door , even though my door is open and technically I am supposed to greet anyone who comes by with courtesy . The person , a tall young man probably in his early '20's asked if I would take an apprentice. In my state of mind all I could think of saying was 'Hell, no..' . I saw a pretty sour look on the guy's face and I started trying to explain why I was not taking apprentices. I hadn't gotten the first words out when the person turned his bike and rode off as I was talking. I thought : "why didn't the guy give me at least a few seconds to explain ?" I got mad for a second , then I had a thought. This guy has probably been hearing the word no from everyone today and from me he got a 'hell, no' - very negative and probably dismissive as well. If it were me I would hate feeling dismissed .
When I was 14 I went around to all the bike shops within 10 miles of my house and asked for a job. They all turned me down. They had no idea of how much work I had don on bikes or any idea of how important the bicycle was in my life. They just saw a 14 year old kid looking for a job with no actual shop experience. I know what it is to hear 'no' all day long , yet when this person came by and asked me about apprenticing I not only told him no, I told him hell no- and then expected him to hear me explain why I could not give him a spot in my shop. He was not going to stick around as I'm sure he had to keep looking for that apprentice position he was seeking and it was already mid afternoon.
I feel I owe that person an apology for the 'hell no'. Nobody deserves to hear that. My sarcasm must of came off as a total dismissal and rejection. Regardless of how I thought I meant it , it was really the wrong way to say it. I should have said this : 'I am a one man shop and I really just have to keep my head down and build frames to keep the doors open and I really don't have time to teach.' Then I could have sent him to a builder down the street who I know has taken an apprentice or two over the last decade. Do I feel like I should not have said no and taken this person as my apprentice ? Definitely not- I really can't take an apprentice without risking my sustainability as a bike builder. I have had apprentices in the distant past but that was back when I felt I really needed the help and when expenses were much lower than they are today. There's also the possibility of injury with someone operating machinery without proper training. All sorts of pitfalls that loom will keep me from being able to have an apprenticeship . I do feel bad for that person coming to my door and hearing 'hell no' from someone he must have really felt could get him closer to his dream of knowing the craft I do every day. He will probably think of me as an asshole and truthfully, I was an asshole to him. I don't think he will ever be back and I doubt that I'll ever get a chance to tell him these words : " I can't take an apprentice but I have no secrets about what I do and I am willing to answer any questions you have about the craft. " I'm not trying to redeem myself- it's too late for that ....but I could do something positive for this person who wants to build frames. I regret what I said and there's no way to take it back. I guess the lesson here is 'think for a bit before you open your mouth. You need to realize how anything you say might affect another person.
I guess that was my lesson for the last week of October , 2026. I hope that I can remember it.
