Anatomy of a Good Deed

I have a former student I'll call Bruce.  Bruce is 28 and living on his own for the first time with a lot of help from family and friends.  He doesn't have a job; doesn't have a driver's license; and has never lived alone before.  He is now in government subsidized housing, which is one of the reasons that I willingly pay my taxes.  He is very high on the Autism Spectrum--quite intelligent and charming but wired differently from the rest of us.  I love that kid.  

Bruce never had too many great breaks in the world.  He has learned to compensate for his background and his so-called failings.  Anxiety is probably his worst enemy.  He also has a couple of physical problems that work against him.  I've known him since he was an 8th grader in my English class.  He graduated in 2012,  I friended him on Facebook, thereafter.

I'll spare the gory details of ways that we have connected over the last five years or so.  Suffice it to say that I have provided a little bit of stop-gap for him to be in the world. When he recently moved to his own apartment, he didn't have much furniture, no food, and no phone/cable/wifi.  I took him out to Dollar Tree and Aldi for food and other little things.  

I should mention that Bruce is a huge NASCAR savant.  He is obsessed, from drivers, teams, owners, car color schemes, records, etc...he knows it all!  He has a collection of die-cast cars and "hero" cards, posters...you name it.  When he moved into his apartment, he wanted shelving to display his collection before he even cared about having a table for dining.  (In fact, still doesn't have one.)  

Just last week, I found someone on Nextdoor that was selling a black wire shelving unit for $10.  I bit on it for Bruce.  The following is the explanation of how that whole transaction happened, just in the course of trying to do a good deed for Bruce:     

After waiting for months for my favorite plumber to put in a new and improved toilet at my house, I was finally told that he could come this week.  He was going to buy the toilet for me at a discount, and total charge for potty and install would be $100 in cash.  Good deal for me!

So, I was told he would be here sometime Wednesday late in the afternoon.  No problem.  My schedule was clear.  

On Wednesday, I was told that he would be here at 9:30 AM on Thursday.  No problem.  My schedule was clear.

On Thursday, I was told that he was stuck in Noblesville all day.  They would have to reschedule.  I heard nothing more so figured I'd have to wait a bit.    

Meanwhile, there was a guy on Nextdoor who was selling a tall, black, wire shelving unit for $10.  I expressed an interest in it (for Bruce and his NASCAR collections) but told him I would need to borrow a truck because it wasn't going to fit in my buggy.  After all, I had nothing but time, right?  Over the next few days, we kept in touch via Nextdoor.  Finally, on Friday, I had secured my friend Phil and his big 'brue' truck to pick up the unit and deliver it to Bruce in Mooresville.  The seller then told me that they were moving TODAY (Saturday) and would likely only be there until noon.  I secured his address and told him we'd be there before noon to pick it up. 

Mind you, nothing else was planned for today.  My schedule was clear.  Yeah....

Phil said he would be here by 10:00 this morning to pick me up.  I had already looked up how to get to this dude's house.  I needed to arrive before they left so I could at least pay for the shelving unit even if I couldn't take it right then, but with Phil's truck, there should be no problem, right?

Phil got here a little after 10:00.  We went to Saratoga Parkway and turned the way I had determined, but we never did find Homestead Circle East, which is where the dude's house is.  Homestead Lane, yes.  Homestead Circle East, no.  We both saw parts of Plainfield we didn't know existed but never did find the right street.  We stopped at the Police Compound to ask, but they were closed up tighter than a drum....so...we headed back to my house so I could re-research my directions.  He decided he needed to go home because he needed to go potty and preferred his own.  (I hear his bathroom stays are legendary!)  He told me to call him when I had things figured out--again.

I figured out my error soon enough.  Homestead Lane immediately turns into Homestead Circle East to the right and Homestead Circle West to the left.  Well, poop!  We went right  past it, twice!  I hopped in my car and drove there just to pay for the unit before they departed.  They agreed to leave it on the porch should they depart before Phil and I could get there with the truck.

When I got home, I got some lunch.  It was about 11:30.  I called Phil and told him I had things figured out.  He said he'd pick me up at 12:30 (again).  Meanwhile, I am messaging Bruce over and over again about changes in arrival times.  Sheesh.  

At 12:15, Judy (Phil's wife) called to say that Phil needed more bathroom time.  One hour delay.  I told her it was fine because I had already paid for the shelving; I just worried that there would be no one there to help load it, if help was needed.  

Finally, Judy called to say that "they" were on their way to pick me up.  Apparently, she was coming on Trip #2 (for them--three for me.)  And just then, I got a message from the  plumber's contact that he would be here "within the hour" to put in the new toilet and haul away the old TV.  I told her that I would be gone but would leave the door open and money on the mantel for him.  WHY must my clear schedule suddenly become muddled in mere minutes, all at once?????????

We got to the seller's house (they were still there, a couple of hours past their target time to be outta there).  The shelving unit was on the porch, as promised.  It was light enough that Phil could carry it without help.  Plunked it in the truck and we headed for Mooresville.  Phil was so confused about why we went the way we did, but I've travelled it recently and knew it was the best way.  

We delivered the shelving to Bruce and drove home.  When we got to my house, my plumber and helper were here, putting in my new potty.  They departed probably 15 minutes after I got home.  Thus, my day ended in success even though it started in confusion.  

I think Bruce probably had that shelving unit filled up before Judy, Phil, and I were even back to Plainfield.  

Truth be known, even doing a simple good deed isn't easy anymore!! 

Everyday Problems in an Already Crazy World

 All I wanted out of life was to be able to retire peacefully and live out the fullness of my years in sweet comfort, but whoever Murphy is created a few "laws" that seem to have been visited on me.  Do I resent it?  You betcha!  What did I ever do to Murphy that he should remind me constantly that I am not in control of my own spaces?  Fie!  To wit:

Conundrum #1: Bugs.

For reasons known only to God, I have been experiencing an infestation of earwigs in my home.  Earwigs are beetle-like bugs with pincers and a love for cool/wet places and rotting stuff.  I have no clue how they are getting into my house, but I have to be constantly on alert.  I get occasional big black ants, but they always stay on the floor.  The earwigs can be anywhere...counters, tables, bed...you name it.  (Even diabolically inside shoes.)  

Here are things I have learned about earwigs, other than what I have already mentioned:                          1.  If you step on them, they will die.  If you don't pick up the dead carcasses, live earwigs will be attracted to the dead ones.  Cleanup is essential.                                                                                          2.  Earwigs aren't very smart.  Two died of acute alcohol toxicity when they drowned in a leftover glass of wine that I didn't clean up in time.  Another was found floating, dead, in one of my toilets; an apparent sewercide.  Yet another young one died an untimely death just this morning when I nuked my breakfast in the microwave.  He wasn't in my food so had to be already in there, which raises the question: if bugs can find their way into a microwave that isn't even a year old, what keeps microwaves from escaping??  BTW, the earwig came out quite dead and crispy.  Poor fellow.                                      3.  My Gal Friday came to mow today.  I had given her $$ to buy some Home Defense spray to use around the base of the house, which she did.  We'll see how that works.  I have no idea how the little buggers are getting into my house-on-a-slab, but I'm hoping this ends the invasion!    

Conundrum #2:  Refrigeration.            

About five or six years ago (would have to look it up to be sure), I invested in a new refrigerator.  I was looking for a value item that met my needs.  I don't like stainless steel, so I got a black one, side-by-side Frigidaire.  It had an ice/water dispenser that wouldn't be used because placement in my kitchen puts it too far from the plumbing.  Since my house is on a concrete slab, any plumbing for the fridge would have to go up into the attic and down, rather than hidden in a non-existent crawl space.  It's done well, if you don't mind all of the burps, gurgles, moans, and whistles that come from it.  The ice maker has been removed, so that is not the problem.  I've learned to ignore the refrigerator noise.  

What I can't ignore is the water that recently has started coming out from under the fridge.  I put a cloth down to soak it up.  Sometimes it comes from the middle of the two doors, and sometimes it comes out from under the freezer part.  Still, nothing in the freezer is melting, and nothing in the refrigerator is spoiling.  Occasionally, there is a puddle that runs in front of the garage room door and dries up.  

I got out the manual for the refrigerator and found, to my dismay, that there is no removable drip pan under the unit.  Where do I go from here????  How do I fix something that apparently isn't broken??

Conundrum #3: Wildlife. 

I live in town, but that doesn't prevent Nature's fauna from visiting my humble abode.  One evening, I opened my front door to look out at something, and there was a puzzled opossum looking up at me on my front stoop.  It ambled off without any challenge from me, but it does give me pause about venturing out in the evenings without checking.  I know 'possums are good guys, but I really, really don't like their looks.  Keep moving, little dude!

And then there is the red squirrel that plays around in my front yard near--and under--my car.  One day, I watched as the little bugger jumped up into the undercarriage of my vehicle.  I have no clue what he intended to do under there, but I envisioned chewed wires and food caches.  So far, nothing seems to be broken, and I don't want to mess up Mr. Squirrel's life, but he could do me a favor if he would stay away from my means of transportation!

And the birds.  Oh, the birds!  There is no huge variety of birds where I live; just the usual garden variety of robins, blue jays, cardinals, sparrows, and wrens.  And some hummingbirds.  I love the hummers!  Several years ago, I put up hummingbird feeders just to watch them, and wasn't disappointed; however, I've always been a bit slow to get the feeders out each spring.  This year, my Gal Friday brought the feeders out of the closet, and I was going to make the syrup to fill them.  Didn't happen.  Didn't happen for weeks.  And then, just as I was ready to finally do something, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources asked the public to remove all bird feeders--including hummer feeders--due to a mystery disease that is killing songbirds.  For once in my life, my procrastination was justified.  I just hate the reasons.  

Conundrum #4:  Family.    

I miss the daylights out of my family.  While the pandemic improves in time, I don't have much time left to give.  Yep, I'm still kicking, but I'm 74 with "pre-existing conditions".  I have lost an entire year.  My whole focus right now is how/when to be with my loved ones again.  It doesn't help that they live almost 2,000 miles away.  It seems that my grandchildren will be here for a few days at the end of August.  Hallelujah!  It's a start.  It will never be enough, though, but I'm learning...

Can't wait to get my hands on my nearly-adult grandchildren and, perhaps, their puppy.   Need to get my fence gate fixed.  Wish me luck!