The Construction Kid: The Big Beginning: True Story: A Boy, a Job, and a Passion

By J.G. Webb and G.G. Webb

Sam and his friends love anything related to construction. As Sam walks to summer camp or swim practice, he feels pulled to building sites, road construction, and his favorite machines: backhoes. So, when the gas company sends Sam’s family a note that a construction project is happening right in his own neighborhood, he is drawn to the site.

There, in the enormous trenches of the job site, Sam meets the crew -- Scott, Ronny, and Luis who quickly become big influences in his life. Scott soon makes Sam an official part of the crew. “If you are going to visit our job site, Construction Kid, you need a hard hat.” Scott says, tossing Sam his very own Fortney Construction crew hard hat.” From that moment on, Sam is hooked. The Construction Kid is based on a true story about a boy, a job, and a passion.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Sep 14, 2014
• ISBN: 9781483538785

Book preview

Chapter 1: The Big Beginning

Much of what you will read in this book is true. It actually happened one very hot summer, not long ago. And, every single character in this book is a real, living, ordinary person, just like you and me. Their actions may seem ordinary to some, but to those of us who love construction, what they do is extraordinary. And, if you follow your interests with your head and your heart, something extraordinary can happen to you, too. We begin our story with Sam, a typical young boy who was about begin an extraordinary adventure and discover his calling.

Sam ran to the front door with thundering feet and flung it wide open with a bang. What was that loud rumbling noise? Errrra, Errrra, RRRRRRR, VRRRR. It sounded like big machines; he was sure of it. Errrra, ERRA. It sounded, to Sam, like a rumbling, roaring machine was saying, I love to work. Sam thought to himself, I love to work, too.

Mom, it’s starting! he yelled back to Mom in the house. Mr. O’Hara was right! It’s starting! His parents’ friend, Mr. O’Hara, was the manager of their neighborhood borough. Sam remembered Mr. O’Hara telling him about a new construction project.

Sam, an enormous construction crew will be working in our neighborhood this summer digging up the roads to replace old gas lines. Right here in Sam’s neighborhood!

Sam turned to run back into the house. On the front doorknob, Sam saw a white card with blue writing on it. He plucked it off and began to read it. He ran his fingers over the blue logo and the words G-A-S C-O-M-P-A-N-Y. It was a notice from the gas company. Attached to the notice was a business card with the name John Johnson, Project Manager on it. Sam read the note slowly out loud. Please call me ASAP regarding your gas line. What did that mean and who was John Johnson?

Sam was a kid who asked a lot of questions. He was a bit tall for his age with lots of light brown hair that he wore in a crew cut. He ran to the phone, pushing up his glasses, and began dialing using the speakerphone. Does this mean they will be digging up the road? he wondered. Maybe digging up our yard? Will they be using an excavator and a backhoe? More than anything, Sam loved watching construction equipment at work. He couldn’t resist anything having to do with equipment, digging, or building. His yard was full of tools, materials to build with, and toy construction trucks of all kinds. His closets were full of construction safety gear, such as hard hats, fluorescent vests, earplugs, note pads with drawings of trucks and equipment, and safety glasses. He often sat and watched road or building construction for hours. Sam’s interest and determination regarding construction were something distinctly a part of him. Mom said it might be his calling in life—whatever that meant.

A woman answered and said in a friendly, formal voice, Gas company, how may I direct your call?

John Johnson, please, said Sam.

One minute, please, said the company operator.

Mr. Johnson’s office, may I help you?

Could I please speak with John Johnson? Sam said in his most determined voice.

The voice stifled a chuckle. He’s not here at the moment. Can I take a message?

He left us a note, Sam explained. A note about our gas line and I wondered what Mr. Johnson needs from us. What’s he going to do to our gas line? Is he going to dig up our yard? The note said to call right away, Sam blurted out.

Oh, I see. Well, Mr. Johnson can explain all that to you. I don’t know the answers to your questions, but I can tell that you really want to talk to him. I’ll leave him a message and tell him to give you a call. What’s your name, fella, and your number?

Sam ran to his closet to grab his construction gear. C’mon, Mom. Don’t you want to see what is making all that noise? Sam said, putting on his orange safety vest. He stuffed a couple of screwdrivers in the pockets. He wrapped a set of gummy earplugs around his neck. Earlier that day, he had used the Internet to find out how to drive a backhoe. If he got a chance to talk to the backhoe operators, he wanted to be able to sound knowledgeable. He had the printout of the steps folded in his safety vest.

How to Drive a Backhoe:

1. Walk around the backhoe and make sure there are no people, pets, or obstructions in the way. After your safety check, climb up into the driver’s seat. Adjust the seat and steering wheel so you can comfortably reach the controls. Insert the key into the ignition and start the backhoe. If the engine hasn’t been run in a while, allow it to idle for about 10 minutes.

2. Familiarize yourself with the controls while the engine is warming up. Locate the double brake pedals and the accelerator on the floor. Find the gearshift and the forward and reverse drive lever. To drive a backhoe, you’ll also need to locate the levers that lift and curl the front bucket.

3. Turn the seat around so that you’re facing the rear of the backhoe. The longer controls operate the boom and the bucket. Make sure the bucket is completely curled in toward the backhoe. Make sure the boom is raised, positioned in the center, and pulled back against the backhoe.

4. Locate the shorter control sticks that raise and lower the stabilizers. Make sure the stabilizers are all the way up before you drive the backhoe.

5. Turn the seat back around. Lift the front loading bucket so it’s off the ground a few feet. Make sure it’s not so high that it interferes with your visibility. Make sure it’s not so low that it touches the ground. Hop off the backhoe and drop the transport-locking pin