The Paint Pit Blog

The First Mistake I Ever Made!!!

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I recently celebrated the end of my eighth year with The Home Depot and midway through the first day of my ninth year came the first mistake I ever made!!!

It started like any other, but right in the middle of a busy time at The Paint Pit I picked up a gallon of dark red paint and tipped it down the front of my apron ... my perfect mistake-free track record ruined!!!

I could feel the red slime sliding down the front of my pants into my boot ... and it went right through the apron, through my shirt, and onto my ever reddening skin beneath. It was actually a little bit cold.

On my lunch break I covered the seat and floorboard of my truck and made my way home to the porcelain tub/shower ... discarding my pants, shirt, and boots in the trash as I went.

Underneath, I was as red as a Washington apple.

The decision to use the porcelain tub/shower proved correct, because that amount of concentrated tint would have severely stained the fiberglass shower tray in the Master Bath.

I scrubbed both me and the tub until the tint was gone ... then I scrubbed the tub again.

Needless to say, by the time I returned to The Paint Pit, the word had gotten around ... PatInPaint really was Pat in paint!

You know, if I had to break my perfect mistake-free record, I'm glad I got the full experience!

I'm also glad I started the second day of my ninth year with the only mistake I ever made behind me.

Comments

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Howdy Pat,

Glad to hear your able to laugh at a hilarious incident. After working for over 18 year at The Home Depot (this is the part where I hike my pants up), I've seen some funny accidents like belt loops getting caught on displays and rendering associates with half ripped off clothing and "paint baths" as well.

I wish you had a photo to share of the red-Pat-in-Paint.

"Success happens when all the mistakes have been made..."

Morrie Muench

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Thanks CoachDave!

You're right ... a good sense of humor almost always softens an uncomfortable situation!

Though I try to focus and not make mistakes, my customers always laugh when I use that line ... "that's the first mistake I ever made."

And, I concur: you deserve to "hike up your pants" after eighteen years with The Home Depot. I'm certain you've had a few belly laughs during those years.

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About the Author

Pat_HD_ATL

Paint Associate
I have been an associate with The Home Depot for ten years and specialize in preparation and application of the full line of interior and exterior paints and stains sold by The Home Depot. I teach DIY Paint classes in faux finishing, wall and trim painting, furniture refinishing, and deck and hardwood floor resurfacing. Every day, I demo products sold under the Martha Living, Behr, Glidden, and Minwax brands. I assist pro-painters with specialty products like Graco Paint Sprayers, commercial-grade product selection, and order-only products for refinishing swimming pools. As a personal (not for hire) venture, I renovate homes and work with a cross-section of building materials from all departments at The Home Depot. I help customers with their entire project and often “walk” customers to departments all across the store to demonstrate products, services, and tools. In the local community, I served as a Scout Master in Boy Scouts of America for more than six-years. My son, an Eagle Scout and recipient of The Homer Fund Scholarship, is an Engineering student at Georgia Tech. My daughter is a guitar enthusiast, performed in the Color Guard with her High School Band, and was recently selected as a member of the University of Alabama Color Guard ... Roll Tide! She is enrolled in the School of Engineering. My personal interests include retriever training, fly fishing, outdoor food preparation and countless other outdoor activities. I also enjoy well-prepared seafood and listening to the waves crash onto the beautiful white sands of the Gulf Coast. I am a Founding Member of the East Cobb Chapter of Ducks Unlimited, whose resources are devoted toward conservation of wetlands. Based upon my customers’ feedback, I am the recipient of multiple Platinum Awards; THD’s landmark award for excellence in customer service.