The Engineer's Note

Lesson from Life

Lessons from Old man

​During my time working in the consultant engineer's camp on a road construction project. I encountered people of all shapes, backgrounds and eccentricities. Among them one particular colleague left an unforgettable impression.

​He was an older gentleman with deeply ingrained habits: chewing chat and chain-smoking. People used to joke witb him, saying, " Don't smoke to much even with no fire department at the camp!" He burned through more than two packs of cigarettes a day and chewed chat with legendary intensity. Yet ironically, he would look at others and dispense unsolicited life advice,asking, "Why don't you try new chat? Why don't you drink alcohol?" And whenever conversation turned to women, his favorite go-to phrase was always, "So, did you sleep with her?" His unfiltered way of speaking never failed to make me chuckle.

​The highlight of our interactions however, was a truly absurd incident.

​Because of his intense chewing habit he developed severe pain in one of his molars. He finally went to the clinic and had the rotten tooth pulled and brought it back to camp. Curiosity got the better of him and he pulled out his old feature phone to snap a photo of it.

​When I asked what on earth he was doing, he replied, "I’m taking a picture for memories."

​Seeing his low-quality phone camera, I offered a friendly gesture: "Here, let me take a clearer picture for you with my phone." I took the photo and sent it over, thinking nothing of it.

​The very next day he approached me with a serious look and asked, "Have you seen that tooth?"

​Confused, I replied, "What do you mean?"

​He looked at me with genuine suspicion and said, "I can't find it. Did you take it?"

​I was stunned and annoyed by the accusation. I snapped back, "What would I do with your rotten tooth? It’s not an elephant tusk—it's not like I can sell it!"

​Looking back, his bizarre accusation and erratic behavior always bring a smile to my face, but they also left me with a profound life lesson.

My initial intention was purely kind—offering a better camera to help a colleague. Yet, stepping into his personal quirk tied me directly to his paranoia. Sometimes the best way to protect your peace is to let people handle their own affairs, no matter how helpful you wish to be.

People with deep-seated habits or erratic lifestyles often view the world through a lens of suspicion. When someone makes a bizarre accusation, remember it is usually a reflection of their internal state, not your actual character. Don't take it personally.

Life in high-pressure environments, like remote construction sites, exposes us to diverse personalities. Learning to laugh at odd encounters—rather than holding onto resentment—makes us richer in stories and wiser in human nature.

​ Addis T.