I have grown fond of my next door neighbors - Joe & Maria. Both migrated from SE Asia when they were young. They spent twenty years in the Southern part of the country, mostly Atlanta - moving to Las Vegas a couple years ago. They own a carpet and cleaning company - from time to time I assist them. Today we had a job in Henderson:
"I want you to start in on the kitchen. Maria is going to take the bathrooms - I will get the doors and baseboards." The plan of attack is simple enough. The kitchen and cabinets needed a good scrubbing. After finishing I grab the vacuum and start on the blinds and ceiling fans - "I know there is a reason we hired you," she says with a laugh. I'm a foot taller than both of them. They appreciate my length and ability to reach all the hard to get places - "I should get a raise for being so tall," I add with a chuckle - I then extend to my tippy toes to reach the top of the blind.
"How is your dad doing? When is he coming back to town?" - Joe, Maria & a couple other friends came over for a barbecue last time he was in town - "He is doing well. He's getting geared up for the Royal's spring training. I'm going there next month to see him & Sharon and watch a little baseball." Being from Atlanta they are Braves fans - "Whenever Joe watches them or the Falcons he always yelling at the television. You should have seen when the Falcons blew the Super Bowl. He was so mad."
Meanwhile, Joe walks through the room dragging a hose from the machine - "What are you guys laughing at?" - "Maria was telling me about how you flipped out after watching your team lose the Super Bowl," I then add - "Don't be too mad about things. I am a Chiefs fan and they haven't won a home playoff game in twenty four years. At least the Falcon's got there."
A few hours pass and I comment to Maria - "This stuff is hard work. A fat boy like me is going to burn some calories doing this. It's a good thing though. I need to burn a few pounds." Both are pleasant people to work for and be around. That means a lot in any job! - "Rob, you not fat. You are beefy." - I appreciate her flattery and add - "I need to be in good shape like your hubby. He is like the Energizer Bunny." Joe is the best carpet and tile guy I have ever met. When he is done with a place you can tell a big difference. He does excellent work.
We finish the job around six thirty - the owner shows for an inspection - "The place looks so much better. You guys busted your butts." I don't get many compliments, so hearing it meant a lot. We all thank her and she adds - "No, Thank-you. The place looks fantastic and it is scheduled to hit the market Friday." I'm still smiling about the remarks and she adds one last surprise - "Here is a little something extra for a job well done." The nice lady reaches into her purse and pulls out a couple extra bills for the service - "I will definitely be giving you guys five stars on Yelp."
On the way home Joe and I pass Mandalay Bay - "Metro is taking up some of the spot where One October happened. They are going to convert it to a SWAT training center is what I heard," I comment as we roll by - The announcement came a week or two ago - To me it sounds like a good idea for the property. I heard the other part of the plan is to turn a smaller portion of it into a memorial honoring the victims. Which also sounds like a good idea - We arrive home and walk to our respective front doors (which are only six feet apart) - "Thank you sir for the work. I will be at my other job during the nights next week. I will be ready to go during the day if you need any help." He tells me he will let me know - I unlock the door; walk directly to the toilet & whiz; shower; eat a low purine meal because of gout; turn on the television & promptly fall asleep on the couch watching my favorite television series Blue Bloods.
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