A remote job taught me to always carry spare cable

I used to think keeping my truck light for installs was smart, so I only took what the job needed. Then I got a call for a farm way out in the hills, almost three hours from my base. The plan was just to activate a new service box for the owner. When I got there, the old line was chewed up by rodents and wouldn't hold a signal. I had run out of my usual coax stash, and the nearest parts shop was a long drive back. I ended up wasting the whole afternoon going to get more. Now, I double-check my stock before every trip, no matter how close or far. That one frustrating drive convinced me that extra cable in the truck is never a waste.