The Sierra Ridge Rambler

 Barely audible over the construction noise, I heard him walk up behind me. “We’ve got to make the great room beefier.”

I turned and straightened up. He continued, “what do you think about pushing this wall out and applying another truss here?” (he knew I would not say yes, simply to sell more timber, and had always looked out for his interests). I walked around and nodded slowly. It would be a good improvement.