The Thin Line Between Maker and Taker

Joe Bush: "Do you see that building over there, little Joey?"

Joey Bush: "Yeah..."

Joe: "I built that."

Joey: "Really? All by yourself?"

Joe: "That's right!"

Joey: "How long ago was that?"

Joe: "Well, your great-grandpa is the one that started it, so it's been around for a while now."

Joey: "...and you built that?"

Joe: "You betcha. ...and someday, when you're my age, you'll get to tell people the same thing - that you built that."

Joey: "Wow. I'm gonna build a lot of things, aren't I, dad?"

Joe: "You bet you are! You already have!"

Joey: "I have? Like what, dad?"

Joe: "That backpack you wear every day to school - you built that!"

Joey: "Really?"

Joe: "Yeah - you put it on your back and made it work, right?"

Joey: "That's right!"

Joe: "So, you built it! You know that tricycle my mistress and I bought for you? You built that too!"

Joey: "I did? I don't remember doing that."

Joe: "You rode the bike, right? It's yours. You built it."

Joey: "Did I build the piece of paper I wrote on earlier - in that love note I sent Brian?"

Joe: "Say what? Brian?"

Joey: "Uh. I mean, Brianne. Yeah - Brianne."

Joe: "Ha. I was going to say - you and I would need to talk about that. But yes, you built that piece of paper as well."

Joey: "That's so cool! I'm going to tell all my friends!"

Joe: "You're a maker, little Joey, just like me. There are makers and takers in this world. There are makers like you and I - ones that take full credit for building things that were passed down to us through the generations and takers - the ones that don't inherit anything and to whom we pay minimal amounts of money to build things for us. Do you get it?"

Joey: "Wait. So, someone else built that building over there, but you built it all by yourself?"

Joe: "Exactly."

Joey: "I don't get it."

Joe: "You will someday, my son. You will someday. Just like my dad was proud of me for being his son and giving me his business, I'll one day proudly hand this business over to you and do you know why?"

Joey: "Why, dad?"

Joe: "Because you built that!"

Joey: "Huh? I did?"

Joe: "But, of course."

Joey: "I still don't get it. Should we get a taxi, so we can meet up with that Stella lady again?"

Joe: "No, no. Taxi drivers are takers. They're just mooching off the makers like you and I."

Joey: "But did the taxi drivers build the taxis like I built my tricycle?"

Joe: "Yes, I suppose so."

Joey: "So, you can be a maker and a taker? I'm so confused!"

Joe: "Just stop thinking, my son. Just stop thinking like I did many years ago and suddenly, everything will all make sense."

Joey: "Okay, dad. I'll stop thinking, just for you."

Joe: "That's better. Now let's go grab us some food."

Joey: "That we made?"

Joe: "No, silly - that someone else made."

Joey: "So we're going to be the takers now?"

Joe: "Never! I told you to stop thinking, junior."

Joey: "Can we at least say we made it?"

Joe: "Now you're catching on! Now let's go and get that food."