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A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:
Time again for StoryCorps. For nearly 40 years, Nathaniel Estes was the plumber to call in Denver. He became a pillar of the Black community there. His son Eddie Estes and daughter, Cathy Lane, remembered their now 94-year-old father and what it was like growing up as the plumber's kids.
CATHY LANE: When I was in the first grade, I said that my father was a plumber. And this little boy said, your father sticks his hands in people's toilets. Ah-ha-ha. And he told the whole class. And I came back with this catch. If your daddy made as much as my daddy, he'd stick his whole head in the toilet. After that, no one teased me, and I never was ashamed that my father was a plumber.
EDDIE ESTES: I remember when I was 6 years old and I was out for the summer break, and Dad told me I had to go to work. And I told him, can Mama go with me?
(LAUGHTER)
ESTES: I'd run and get parts. I was like a plumber's helper.
LANE: What I remember is this little seat that would fit on a toilet, no matter where you and Daddy was, so that you can use the bathroom. So you had that in one hand and Daddy's hand in another hand.
(LAUGHTER)
LANE: I didn't start working till I was 8. It was my job to troubleshoot over the phone.
Good afternoon. Estes Plumbing. May I help you?
If I took too long of a lunch break, I would get fired. I think I'd been fired at least four times by Mommy. She was more serious than any boss I've ever had. But Mom and Dad made me feel like there was nothing I couldn't get if you worked hard for it. I remember Daddy started getting those recognitions from the city. We just seen him rise. I just remember everybody knew him.
ESTES: 'Cause he gave a lot. He gave a lot.
LANE: He gave a lot.
ESTES: When I was a kid, I used to watch him and how he does. So when I was growing up, I wanted to be like him. I'm used to him being my only boss all my life. To this day, he tells me what to do and I do, just like a little kid.
(LAUGHTER)
LANE: Yeah, and he's still bossy, too.
ESTES: Yeah.
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MARTÍNEZ: That's Eddie Estes and Cathy Lane. Their interview was part of StoryCorps' Brightness in Black project. It's archived at the Library of Congress.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC) Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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