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Hello. Hi, how you doin? What is your name again? Karl.

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Karl, I'm Vernon, I work for the Humanities truck. Right, Vernon, right. Right. And Karl, we're here asking everyone question and this question deals with your goal, you're greatest accomplishment. In terms of labor, labor of life, love, what you've done. And I'm just going to go right to questions. Okay? Sure. Okay,

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Everyone had something they have worked on in their life. Okay. What is something valuable you have contributed to and can share with others? When thinking about the work you have done in your life thus far, what are you proud of? What can you point to? And are you talking about paid work? I mean, in life. Paid work, volunteer, what you're proud of. Sure. I would say helping to raise my two granddaughters, be probably, what I'm mostly proud of been taking care of them since they were babies and they're six and seven years old.

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Okay, the labor of love raising your grands. Grands, rights. Yeah. Well, I can agree with that because I have four grands and blessed just watching them grow up and turn into what they're gonna be later in life. That's my goal. I know that's every grandparents goal and I'm gonna try to mold. And give the parents a break.

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Yeah, give the parents a break. Yeah. So, you have how many grandkids you have? Two, two girls, six and seven. Oh you have two girls, wow. I have twin boys, but they're in college so I only see them every so often. So, so, what are you? What are you? In terms of them and raising them, what would you share with others about that experience? Well, partly, some of the funny things they say, they say very funny things, especially when they're little. Like, I asked one of them to get me something from the next room and she said "Grandpa. Don't be so lazy, get up and get it yourself". So I think the parents had said that to her, that's something.

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Yes. There goes to test the fact that kids are very challenging. Some of them is almost like they been here before. You know, some of the things they say, the way they act, some of the questions they ask— —oh, yeah— —It's like "oh wow, these kids been here before me? The old saying, my grandmother said, "old souls". Let's see. What is something, okay. Grandkids. What else could you share to them? Well, helping, you know, taking care of them, gently two or three days a week before they were in school and helping to set the expectations for them and what they should and shouldn't do. Playing with them and not being afraid getting down on the floor and playing with them or being silly with them. Or — they love to play the tickle game with me. They keep trying to tickle me.

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Yeah. Yeah that's amazing. I've never really looked at it before, but it's a great accomplishment to be a grandparents. How you do feel about that? Yeah, it's wonderful. You don't have you not have all the responsibility of being the parent and yet you spend time with them, you enjoy that, but then you get a break, unlike the parents, who were with them all the time. So your grand kids come live with you? Right. Well, we're fortunate. We live in Silver Spring and they live in Baltimore. So it's 45 minutes away. They do often come and stay with us for a week and give the parents a break or the parents go on vacation. They just had their 10th anniversary and they were going to go to Paris but they canceled the trip. So instead they went backpacking without the kids and we watch the kids.

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Oh you had them for two weeks? A week, a week. That's amazing. Well, they were in a gymnastics camp during the day. So it wasn't that difficult —

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Oh, they like gymnastics. They pretty good at it? Well. They just starting, you know, six and seven. Something to keep them busy. you see how, that's one of things I always watch [inaudible]. So what type of work in the past have you done? I've worked in five different careers. I worked as a computer programmer for 23 years. I worked as a health interviewer for five years. I've worked as a handyman for the last 15 years. Well this is just for people in the neighborhood. It's a part-time job.

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You feel that that's your, what you were put here to do? Well, you know, people, people really appreciate it and often and there aren't that many people do it. right — And do it well.

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Right. Not many people that can do it. It's a lot that goes into maintaining a house, a home, a business or whatever. It's a lot. And without the contributions of — you can call them handyman, maintenance man, maintenance tech, whatever — without their contributions, think about, the property wouldn't stay up and running. They just came, we just recently had return to work. But you know. If the toilet don't flush or the sink don't work, that's pretty essential. That is, that is. It's really essential. I know everyday — I'd almost say emergency. Only reason I'm not concerned about a call now, and they still might, is cause I'm not on call. I'm off call. I was on call for two weeks. So, I'm kinda doing my other niche right now. Just talking to people. Getting to people to express themselves and tell their stories, document them. To help other people, other generations, you know. You said amazing things and I appreciate your time. Well, I appreciate you taking the time to ask the questions.

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Cause you pretty much greatest contribution, I think, I see it for myself too. My grandkids. The most fun. That's right. Yeah, you laugh a lot. They're willing to make you laugh. Especially when they're younger. And the girls, oh. My grandsons, they ask— —difficult questions.

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They make me scratch your head. Really have to think first before you ask because they're going, that's going to be a part of them for the rest of their lives. They don't forget anything. Okay, they getting ready to start. Thank you very much for your time. Okay, take care.