“I’ll need 10 sheets of drywall for tomorrow.”

That was how my father-in-law would greet me in the early 2000s when I’d arrive home from work. After 45 years spent as a carpenter and foreman, he was retired—which meant he was working for free for his kids. In our case, that meant remodeling our 80-year-old Chicago bungalow. It was great to get his expertise for free, but it meant I had to help out as best I could with my limited skills. And one of those ways was being the errand boy.

After getting the next day’s supply order, I’d trudge out to our garage and remove the seats from our minivan. I’d head over to Home Depot, grab what he wanted, and then load it into our 1998 Chrysler Town & Country LXi. By day, our minivan hauled kids and groceries. By night, building supplies.