Slinky

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about the neighbor who called and left a message for me to contact him. I really do not know this guy except he is the “home-teacher” ( an ecclesiastical watch dog group that makes sure the local ecclesiastical unit is well and in good working order)for my neighbor. I blew off the phone call and he called again and blew that of and then he stopped by one day when I was at work and talked to Dianne. He is on disability and is starting a lawnmower repair business and wanted me to do his website. I basically told him I was not interested but he seemed a bit desperate to have a presence on the INTERNET. I told him I was not very skilled and that I had been burned by the city for not having n license and such the last time I did a business venture from my home. Still he persisted and I said “sure” I would do what I could and started waiting. The way I saw things the ball was in his court and I was waiting for him to contact me with the items he wanted on the website. It never came and weeks passed. And life happened and I put the event aside hopefully to be forgotten. Then Sunday I got a call( we never pick up the phone but elect to screen each call calling back those wish—how decadent is that?) m It was the neighbor and he was miffed. Was I going to do the project not he needed to know. When I heard this I figuratively dug my heals in and blew him off with great prejudice. Dianne said, “ You know this really makes us look like flakes” I said “So?” Dianne replied “it just does.”

This non confrontation festered like a blister on my heal all day long at work and maybe because the day as so beautiful or maybe because all the networks are in “rerun” mode that I decided to go over and have a ‘face to face’ with my neighbor the lawnmower repair man “LMRM”. Dianne thought I should call first but I did not ant to give him a heads up. I wanted to do a drop in and see what happened. I figured I had to do this or I would be slinking round all summer. I was not sure where LMRM lived but I figured there would be enough neighbors out they would direct me and sure there were and they did.

Of course there are steps going to LMRM’s house and luckily there was some leaving just as I motored my chair up the drive way and this neighbor fetched LMRM out. He was gruff at first and seemed like he grudged me like I my kid had broke a window in his green house and now what was I going to do. So I talked, I did not quite apologize and there was a lot of arms folded eye sparing but LMRM held out and I sort of wore him down and decided and we sort of agree that he was going to check in with another person he contacted and I said if this fell though or if he needed back up I would be happy to stand in. But I got the impression that it would be a long cold day innhell before he would ask me to do anything for him and that it OK. I did not want to do it any way.

We moved on and he showed me his new, old truck which he has outfitted to repair lawmowers at their own homes. It’s a Uhaul cast off but big and he has crafted a great work area inside.. I am envious. The face to face went off well, I think he will tolerate me now but best of all I will not have to slink.