Mike started in construction by lugging wheelbarrows of bricks. In five years he was the foreman of four different job sites. He knew his consistent Buddhist practice gave him the discipline to take responsibility for his life. 

He did not mention Buddhism around his crews. They were a tough bunch of guys, who ridiculed anything that was different. Muy macho. 

One day, his old friend Dave showed up looking for work. Dave's car was busted, he was near broke, and his girl was ready to walk out on him. Mike gave him a job and rides to and from work. 

On one of those rides, Dave marveled over Mike's success and asked him how he did it. Mike did his best to explain Buddhism. Dave wanted to know how to pronounce the words. They started chanting in Mike's truck. 

After gulping down coffee in the mornings, and after the Big Gulp on the way home, Mike and Dave chanted. 

Dave told the guys at the job site about chanting and, of course, they made fun of him. They called him Buddha-boy, Voodoo-boy, and so on. If anyone got hurt they would say "Ouch! The Buddha-boy stuck a pin in my doll," etc. 

Dave told Mike of the ridicule. Mike said "You know how they are." Dave asked Mike if he should tell them he quit chanting. Mike said "No, if you do that, they will razz you all the more." 

That night, Mike chanted a straight hour worrying about his friend. The next day, after he dropped Dave off, he continued to chant about him as he drove to each of the other job sites. 

When Mike returned to Dave's job site, he heard a sound that sent chills up and down his spine. It sounded like twenty guys chanting. "What the hell is going on?" he wondered. He thought he had gone crazy. 

When he got inside the building, sure enough, twenty muy macho guys were chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo for all they were worth. 

Dave explained: "I hit the lotto."