I was in western North Dakota this week, but not in Dickinson.  I had some of my tools with me, but the battery in my saw was not very good, the most it would cut was a 2″x4″.  I was making a 2′ wide by 2′ tall floor cabinet for the inside of my utility trailer.  I went to a lumber store and asked if I bought a 4’x8′ sheet of plywood, would they cut it in half for me?

I said let me draw you a sketch so that you can see how I want it cut.  The young lady was very attractive and nice, I had noticed her when I was looking for the hardware that I needed.  She looked at the sketch and said, “O.K., you want it cut in half, and then two inches taken off each side.”  I said no.  She said, “Well, that is what this says.”

She handed the sketch to a male co-worker, who looked at it and said, “O.K., you want it ripped down the middle, …and then you want it cut up into two foot pieces.”. I said no, just ripped down the middle, leaving me two pieces that are 2’x8′.

Both of them were pissed off at me.  Then a third guy who cut the plywood was pissed off at me.  They had never seen such a thing, and they didn’t like it at all.  It was confusing to them.

I designed and drew bridges for a 1-1/2 years, did the structural detail drawings too.  Got the plans permitted in different jurisdictions.  I did the structural drawings and detail drawings for ships.  I did the loading calculations and structural drawings for houses.  I can’t believe North Dakota.  I didn’t want to hurt these people’s feelings, so I didn’t say anything, but them not being able to understand that sketch caused me great concern and tremendous doubt about people in North Dakota.