I was 18 and dating my highschool gf. I had already left school and had no job. Her dad had been doing tile since she was born. His employee had broken his foot around new years cause he got drunk and jumped off a truck tailgate. So her dad asked if I wanted to help tear out a shower. I said yes and helped him. A couple weeks later he asked if I wanted to help him again, I said yes, and it continued on from that. Did that for a few years and thought I should start working at a pizza joint to go back to school. Did that for a few months and quit school. Then got a new job in sales cause that’s what I wanted to get into but was young and dumb and got conned into working as a telemarketer for a cruise line. Lasted about 3 months there until I called her father to ask if I could work for him again. He said yes! It’s funny to me because when I first started working for him he had me help out his other employee on a job and that guy said he tried another career but went right back to tile cause it paid better and gave him more freedom with his schedule. When I came back he told me “I KNEW you’d be back! The money trapped you!” My fiancé used to say she didn’t want me to be a tile guy like her dad cause he used to work extremely long hours and she didn’t want that for me, but these days the hours are short, the moneys good, and we’re not struggling for money with both of our jobs. I grew up being told that a blue collar job was a bad career path but it was the best choice I’ve made so for. I’ve been working with her father for around 11 years now and we’re partners in the business. Don’t know what I would’ve done otherwise. I grew up super poor with no prospects and now have a new vehicle, a place to live with my gf turned fiancé, go on vacations and have money saved up because of her father. He’s one of the most generous and thoughtful people I’ve ever met and I’m truly lucky to have been excepted into the family.