Arthur’s last day of school is today, and that means his internship with his father has come to an end. On Friday, the staff at Harrington’s office—now grown to six people, not including Harrington and Arthur themselves—surprised him with a little cake and a few gifts. Arthur was very gratified, and I know that he will miss working there.
To tell you his thoughts on the matter, I will share with you the conclusion of the essay he wrote for his guidance counselor, which summarizes his feeling far better than I could.
What I learned most of all, however, was the importance of taking care of the people in a business, both the employees that make everything possible and the customers that make everything necessary. That is, after all, the motivation behind this particular business. In a few short months, Purcell Motors has brought together three separate businesses, learning their strengths and improving their weaknesses so that they can best serve all of their customers. We have raised wages for our mechanics, improved the quality of parts that we use, and made health insurance available to 100% of our staff, all without raising the prices of our services much. And the home office is soon to move to better facilities, which are handicapped-accessible and designed to provide a pleasant and welcoming atmosphere for staff and guests alike.
On a personal note, I have also learned from this experience a respect for my father that I never knew before. It is not easy to work with a family member, but he managed with me as kindly and professionally as he does with all his other employees. That, to me, is just as impressive as how he has been able to accomplish so much in such a short time. Purcell Motors did not exist in this town before he took on this job, but I believe it will be a business that lasts, and all due to the work of Harrington Price. It was a privilege to play even a small part of it.
On my urging, Arthur allowed Harrington to read the entire essay as soon as it was finished. Through the first part of it, where Arthur spoke of the details of his work, Harrington nodded and made a few notes for improvement. But when he had read the last page, he could say nothing. He put down the pages, tears in his eyes, and held out his arms to his son. Arthur embraced him, and no further words were needed.