He said it took more than classroom work to become an HVAC technician, and he looked directly at me again.
From the time I was a little girl, all I wanted to do was be an HVAC technician like my daddy. He would take me on some of his HVAC calls, and explain to me what he was doing and why. HVAC seems like one of the most fascinating things anyone could choose to do. My mother said I was just a starry-eyed little girl who wanted to be just like her daddy, but she was sure I would change my mind when I got older. Mom didn’t know me very well because instead of changing my mind when I got older, I just became more resolute about being an HVAC technician. After high school graduation, my dad helped me to secure a spot in the HVAC classes at the local college. When I walked into class, the instructor took one look at me and shook his head. His entire first day lecture was about how we should look around because not all of us were going to be there when it came time for graduation. Every time he made one of these comments, he would look directly at me. He said it took more than classroom work to become an HVAC technician, and he looked directly at me again. I wasn’t sure if he was trying to bully me into quitting HVAC classes, or if he was just condescending because I was a female. After class, I confronted the HVAC instructor about how I felt when he singled me out. When I told him who I was, he instantly knew who my father was. He said I could be a good HVAC technician, but I shouldn’t expect special treatment because I was a girl.
Indoor comfort business