Strange Place Indeed

I mentioned in my last post about the different types of people I encounter on my job. It really must be 'the week' for that, or a sure sign of a bad moon rising. I also mentioned that things have been somewhat slow; I've been shifted from my normal installs to running 'troubles.'

I completed all my assigned work around 2PM this afternoon. After lunch they sent me to repair or replace a house box at the side of a disconnected account. I drove past the rural home, turned around and pulled just off the road across their wide driveway as I anticipated it shouldn't take that long. I put the flashers on; went about my business. It appeared no one was home.

I saw the exposed wires; the top of the 'old-style' box had been removed. It was going to take a completely new one; was going to take me longer than I thought. Some minutes after I began working a woman appeared on the nearby porch. She asked if she could help me. I apologized; told her I thought no one was home or I would have knocked, and that I was just replacing the box so it looked better and the wires would not be out and exposed. She was 'suspicious; asked if they would be billed. I said, 'Of course, not.' She said, okay and retreated to the house.

On one trip back from the truck I noticed that an older Mennonite woman was speaking with the younger woman at the door on the front porch. As I went about my business I feared she might be 'excommunicated' for getting Cable TV or Internet service. My work van is a driving bill-board.

At some point as I worked I was getting something from my van and dumped what was left and now warm in a container of iced tea onto the pavement beside my van. I finished up; it looked good and I drove away.

I drove back to the office and as I was stopping in the parking lot to drop off my personal stuff in my car I noticed one of the Company Jeeps rounding a corner ahead of me. As he pulled right up to my driver's side; I knew it was my boss. He had his window rolled down; I rolled down mine. He said, 'You'll never guess where I am going?' I asked where? He told me the address. I said, 'Ya know, I had a 'bad feeling' about that place.' It was that place where I replaced the house box.

Here's the story....

The Mennonite people had called the office. After I left there was a 'wet spot' on their pavement they feared would eat through the asphalt. I laughed as the boss told me; I noticed a gallon jug of water on the passenger seat of the Jeep. He told me he was on his way out there to wash it off so it didn't 'eat through their concrete.'

How funny is that?

I live in a very strange place, indeed.

Just a slice of my world.

Hope you all have a good night, a great weekend, too!