The Masterpiece

Opening the wood shop door, the scent of mahogany and linseed oil enveloped Mitch. Every tool was neatly arranged on the workbench. To his right stood a table saw, band saw, and bench sander, each one showing signs of wear but still in fine working condition. The floor was swept clean leaving traces of sawdust in the corners.

His current project, a china cabinet for his daughter, stood in the center of the room. He and his grandson Mark had spent hundreds of hours designing and building it. At 15, Mark was already a fine cabinet maker and working on the project with Mitch had honed his skills and forged a bond between them.

Usually, just entering the workshop filled Mitch with a sense of peace, but not today. The conversation with his daughter Julie troubled him and even his beloved workshop couldn’t settle his mind.

“I just talked with Mark’s teacher,” she’d told him. The sparkle was gone from her eyes and worry lines were etched on her forehead. “Ms. Jones caught him lying again and now he’s in detention. This is the fifth time this month.”

“I thought he’d stopped lying,” Mitch said. “When I talked with him, he told me he knew lying was wrong and had learned his lesson while sitting in detention.”

“He was lying to you, Dad. He probably figured you wouldn’t let him in your workshop if you knew he was still lying. What am I going to do? I can’t trust my own son anymore. If he keeps this up, no one will trust him. If he lies to you, he’ll lie to anyone.”

With tears welling up, she wrapped her arms around him. Mitch’s mind whirled as he embraced her. How could they get Mark’s attention? Suddenly he had an idea. The question was; could he actually do it?
“When Mark gets home, send him to the workshop,” Mitch said. “I have a plan that’ll get his attention. I just hope I can go through with it.”

In the workshop, Mitch gazed at their project. Running his hand over the smooth surface, he recalled taking Mark to the lumber yard to buy the mahogany. He let Mark choose the pieces and was pleased with the quality of lumber he chose. It had been a joy to work side by side with Mark. They carefully cut the boards to length, sanded each one, and fastened it in place. Over the space of a few weeks, the odd assortment of boards combined to create a masterful cabinet.

The creak of the shop door brought Mitch back to reality. Mark’s step lacked the usual bounce, his head was lowered, and his lips tight. Gazing at his grandson, Mitch wondered if he could go through with his plan.

“How was school today?” Mitch asked.

“Ok, I guess.”

“Anything special happen?”

“Not really,” Mark said.

“Nothing out of the ordinary happened?”

“Nope.”

Right then, Mitch knew he had to go through with the lesson. Mark was still lying even though he’d promised to stop. Mitch couldn’t just stand by and watch; he had to do something.

“Mark, your mom told me about the trouble at school, so I know you didn’t have an ordinary day. I thought you’d stopped lying.”

“I did, Grandpa…for a while. Then I got into a tough spot and lied to get out of it. Once I told that first lie, it made it easier to tell more. But I don’t see why everyone’s making such a big deal about this. Everyone lies. I’ve got friends that lie so good they could beat a polygraph test.”

“That doesn’t bother you?” Mitch asked.

“Not really. It hasn’t seemed to hurt them. They get away with stuff I’d never think of doing. A lot of kids even look up to them.”

“Do you?”

“Well…kinda…in a way. I mean I don’t want to become like them, but it’s interesting to see what they get away with.”

“So you really think they’re getting away with their lies?”

“Most of them,” said Mark.

“Do you think their lies hurt anyone?” asked Mitch.

“Well, if they are, I’m not seeing it. How much damage could a few lies do? It’s not like they’re robbing banks or shooting people.”

Mitch walked over to the cabinet and ran his hand over the woodwork. “We’ve put a lot of work in this haven’t we, Mark?”

“Yeah, and it’s shaping up quite nicely. We should complete it on time for Mom’s birthday.”

Picking up an eight penny finishing nail and a hammer, Mitch walked to the cabinet.

“Mark, it’s time for your next lesson. It probably won’t make sense right now, but bear with me. You’ll understand when we’re through. For today’s lesson, I want you to pound this nail into the side of the cabinet about a half inch. Leave the rest sticking out.”

“But, Grandpa, won’t the nail ruin it?”

“You’ll have to trust me on this, Mark.”

Mark shrugged. “Ok, but it doesn’t make sense.”

Taking the nail, he placed it against the cabinet and raised the hammer. “Are you sure about this?”
Mitch nodded and closed his eyes as Mark set the nail. Then he held out another one. “You need to set this one too.”

With the nails set, they began work on another section. It was good therapy and soon both were humming. Before they knew it, Julie called them in so Mark could finish his homework.

“Same time tomorrow?” Mitch asked.

“I can’t tomorrow,” said Mark. “I promised a friend I’d go with him to the library to help prepare for a test. I can be here Saturday morning.”

“Saturday it is. How about we start at ten o’clock?”

“I’ll be there,” Mark said.

Mitch was in the shop at nine-thirty Saturday morning, laying out the tools they would need. His usual festive mood departed after Julie told him Mark hadn’t gone to the library, but to a movie she told him not watch. Glancing at the two nails in the cabinet, Mitch hoped his plan would work. With the tools were laid out, Mitch couldn’t do much until Mark arrived. At ten-thirty he began returning tools to their proper place. By eleven, he turned out the lights and went home.

Monday afternoon, Mark bounded into the shop ready to work on the cabinet. “Sorry about Saturday,” he told Mitch. “Something came up and I forgot. I didn’t remember it until later that evening.”

“Mark, didn’t you say you had to go to the library Friday night to help a friend with a test?”

“That’s right,” he said. “We stayed there until closing time.”

“That’s interesting,” Mitch replied. “Your mother told me you two went to the movies, a movie you weren’t supposed to watch, and spent the night at his house.”

Hanging his head, Mark said “I’m sorry.”

“What’s done is done. How about we start your woodworking lesson?”

“Great idea,” said Mark.

Picking up the two nails he had set on the workbench, Mitch said, “As a continuation of last week’s lesson, I want you to pound two nails in the cabinet next to the others.”

Mark took the nails and hesitated. Mitch could tell he hated to pound them in, but silently urged him on. With the nails set, they began work on another section.

The process was repeated over the next several days. Sometimes Mark would pound three or four nails into the cabinet. Other days it was only one. Finally Mark couldn’t stand it anymore. “Grandpa,” he said, “I know you’re the master craftsman, but I can’t put any more nails in this cabinet. It’s ruining our masterpiece.”

This was the moment Mitch was waiting for. “Mark, it’s time for the next lesson. I want you to remove each nail. Be careful not to gouge the wood.”

Bewildered, Mark proceeded to remove the nails, then looked at the cabinet in dismay. “Grandpa. That looks terrible. All our hard work is ruined.”

“It’s only a few tiny holes,” said Mitch. “They can’t cause that much damage. A little touch up and no one will know the difference.”

“What are you talking about?” said Mark. “No matter how hard we try, we can’t completely cover them up. They’re gonna stick out like a sore thumb. The whole piece is ruined. Thanks a lot, Grandpa.”

Throwing down his hammer, Mark started for the door but Mitch’s next words stopped him cold.

“It seems to me you care more about this cabinet than you do your mother, me, or even yourself. If that’s true, I don’t think your mother would want it anyway.”

Laying a hand on Mark’s shoulder, Mitch continued. “You mentioned a while ago that telling lies doesn’t hurt anyone and you even look up to those who lie and get away with it. This exercise was the only way I could figure out to show you how wrong that thinking is.”

Mitch paused and ran his finger over each hole Mark had made.

“Each of these holes represents a lie you’ve told to your mother, your teacher, and me. Even though they didn’t hurt you, they did hurt us. The pain from one lie isn’t too bad, but the lies add up and damage relationships and lives. Mark, you’re on your way to ruining much more than a wooden masterpiece. You’re hurting the people that love you most and want the best for you. The damage on this cabinet stands out because it’s something you can see. Right now, you can’t see the damage you’re causing in your relationships because you’re focused on what you care most about—yourself.”

“I think I see what you’re saying,” said Mark. “What do I do about it?”

“Tonight, I want you to think about your problems with your mom. Picture that relationship as a masterpiece you two have crafted for fifteen years. Then ask yourself how have your lies marred that masterpiece. Tomorrow, come back and tell me which masterpiece is more important, your relationship with your mom or this cabinet.”

That night Mark finally understood the damage his lies had caused. He’d never thought about his relationship with his mom being a masterpiece that should be built with care, consideration, and love. He had almost allowed his self-centeredness to destroy a masterpiece more precious than anything he could build with wood.

Entering the workshop with a spring in his step, Mark told his grandfather the relationship with his mom was far more important than the cabinet and he would do whatever he could to restore the relationship.
Continuing the lesson, Mitch taught Mark how to prepare a wood paste out of glue and sawdust that closely matched the cabinet’s color.

“Mark. Since this wood is dead, it no longer grows. The only way to fix these holes is to plug them which takes time and energy. If you want to fix a relationship you have to realize it’s going to take work. You have to commit to tell the truth consistently; but at first don’t expect others to immediately believe you’ve changed. You have to rebuild their trust. Every time you’re tempted to lie, think of this cabinet, the extra work we’ve had to do, and the damage you still see. If you tell that lie, you’ll add to the work needed to restore the relationship. Let this cabinet constantly remind you that every lie causes damage.”

Julie began to see a difference in Mark, but wasn’t sure of its significance. They finished the cabinet and on her birthday, brought her to the workshop. As they removed the tarp, Julie gasped with joy.

Mitch watched as she caressed the wood and admired the craftsmanship. Then she noticed the small circles made from the plugs. “What happened here?”

“Well mom,” said Mark, “that’s a trade secret. But with this gift, you get two masterpieces. You can check this one out later, but there’s a more important one I need to talk with you about.”