Farmer H, P.I.

Farmer H has a buddy who drives a truck for the electric company. So I wasn't surprised when I tried to leave the driveway on Tuesday, and found it blocked by an electric company truck. Farmer H was sitting on his $1700 lawnmower beside it, talking. He tried to wave me through the yard in T-Hoe, but I was having none of that. He wasn't getting rid of ME that easily, so he could gossip without being rushed.

I parked T-Hoe halfway down the driveway, waiting. It's not like I'm on a schedule. Besides, I wanted to talk to Farmer H. The electric company truck left, and Farmer H pulled up beside T-Hoe.

"You didn't have to stop talking. I'm not in a hurry."

"My buddy said he had to get going, anyway. Somebody else got their electric turned off! He didn't say who. I asked if it was the people up on the hill, and he said no, he didn't have to go up the hill today. So now I'm wondering who it was."

"And he can't tell, because that violates confidentiality."

"Maybe. He didn't offer. But if I said, "Was it Tommy?" he might have told me. Because I'd be the one who guessed. I really am afraid it's Tommy."

"I hope not. You'd think Tommy would be sure to spend whatever money he has on food, and then on electricity. And let anything else slide. Like insurance."

"I don't know. He's done okay so far, and he still goes to work. I can't imagine who else it would be."

Several hours later, I got a text from Farmer H, P.I.

"We do have power don't we. I think I know who got shut off."

"Yes we have power."

"PartyMom just messaged me asking if we had power."

"Crap. While I'm still feeling bad about her daughter's phone being taken away. Maybe they should use the phone money on the electric bill."

"Just saw my buddy going back up the road towards their house."

"Maybe he got the wrong one. Or THEY didn't get THEIR electric bill. For 6 months."

"Probably paid on the phone."

"Or not."

"Ya. Who knows."

"Or maybe their credit card expired and they forgot to put in the new one. It could happen."

See? That totally COULD happen. Because when our new credit card came, I remembered to update my Amazon account, but totally forgot about PayPal for a week or so. Good thing I didn't try to use it. That's what's wrong with all this technology. You can think your payment is being taken out as usual, but if you don't update, it won't be.

You'd think they'd get a notice, though. It's none of Farmer H's business whose power was turned off. We'd just worry if it was Tommy.