David Cooper, One in a MIllion

David Cooper is an interesting man and one that could be an example to the rest of the world. He is a storekeeper in an age when the word has pretty well disappeared from our vocabularly. Every morning he has the front door at Coopers Red and White unlocked at 7am and it doesn't close until 8 at night 9 in the summer 6 days a week, 7 from mid June until the end of September. But if you need anything on a Sunday the rest of the year or some gas at 11 at night David opens the door puts on a smile takes care of you.

If there is anything David understands it is taking care of customers, want some groceries delivered, David is your boy and there won't be any fees for gas tacked on. He has more energy than anyone I have ever met, never complains and works tirelessly for the community in which he lives. I was over at the store the other night and he was talking with the manager of the rink, seems David was down volunteering on Sunday running the Zamboni and generally looking after things. If anyone needs at truck or a ride to town or something picked up David is the first to step up. Never misses a wake no matter how busy he is.

He is a very successful businessman, totally devoted to his family and his community and friends, I don't think he would know the meaning of the word enemy or petty, friends with everyone.

You certainly couldn't call David educated in a scholastic way but man does he know about what it takes to be successful. He will quickly tell you how much he hated school and avoided it as much as possible. I've heard him say on many occaisions "God, but I hated school, I'd rather shovel shit all day long than have to go. He says that sometimes he has a terrible nightmare. God, he says I woke up with the worst nightmare, I dreamed I was back in school, you know I'd rather shovel shit all day long than have to go back there.

He would make an interesting lecturer for a Masters of Business Administration class. They probably wouldn't pay much attention to him as he told them about getting up early, working late, satisfy your customers, keep your books straight, make friends of everyone you meet, never make anyone feel bad about themselves and smile no matter what. That is they wouldn't pay attention unless his personal net worth statement and balance sheet from his business was projected on a screen. You would hear the collective sucking in of breath and arseholes snapping shut then.

But Davids biggest successes are not monetary, they are the way he enjoys living life and relating and helping out the people around him. Now thats a real man.