Tuesday, October 20, 2020
Honestly I haven't thought about Donny until a few days ago while talking with Gary Jones of CB Scott Co. Donny was the Burnham Rep covering Northeast PA and I worked for a plumbing & heating contractor in Scranton, PA (Lucas P/H). Donny always came out when we had to wire knocked down boilers and I would sit, watch and listen to him while helping to get this new boiler up online. I learned a lot from Donny Maul and was very thankful to have in in my young life. As when i was out on jobs with him and Lucas P/H i was a mear 12yrs old. I have to share this story with you - one time Donny came to the shop to go out on a job with one of the master plumbers, Donny left his car at the shop (White Honda Accord) I was doing shop work that day, and I said Donny let me wash and clean your car, and it will be ready when u get back. Well to my surprise the car was a stick shift & I had no idea how to drive it at 13 yrs old. Once I was done washing and vacuuming the car I needed to back it up - (how hard could it be right) - well I backed it up alright, right onto the little wall behind the car, needless to say i freaked out and was really scared, because the car was now stuck on that little wall, and I could not get it down. Finally one of the plumber came back to the shop for some parts and we were able to get the car off the wall, but as you can guess the car was damaged. (the rear skirting was scrapped up and the white paint was no longer on that part of the car. I knew when Donny got back to the shop he would be angry, like most people and I was sweating bullets until he came back and I had to face the music and tell him what I had done. In true Donny Maul fashion when he returned, I showed him the damage and told him what happened, and guess what he said to me... the car looks great inside and out, but I said i ruined the back of the car and he said from what I can remember - Jimmy don't worry about it for 1 min - no big deal! I was blown away by his kindness, and then he handed me 10 bucks for the cleaning and wash and would not take it back ... What a great guy he was to that 12 year old kid that damaged his car... so not only did i learn about boilers, i learned how to treat people... God Bless him, his wife and family... Jim Farrell (formally of Scranton, PA)
