Never a dull moment when Mrs. Hillbilly Mom goes to town.
Monday, as I stood at the left lottery machine inside the doors of Country Mart, something in my peripheral vision demanded my attention. Over past the ice machine, at the opening of the little hallway leading to the restrooms, was strung a yellow crime scene tape. Not so much for a crime. Just a CAUTION tape, up high on the walls.
Huh. I've never been in those restrooms, or even down that hall. They're generally open to the public. It's not a stunt like the Gas Station Chicken Store pulls, telling people the restrooms are out of order so they don't use them. Though there WAS a handwritten sign on the wall by the CAUTION tape, proclaiming the restrooms to be out of order.
As I was gawking at this new signage, A MAN AND TWO BOYS WALKED OUT! Walked right under the CAUTION tape, past me, and out the doors.
Well. That was unusual. But I noticed the two boys were wearing T-shirts with a business name on the back: Wiggins Plumbing [not the actual name]. I had seen that name before around town. So I wondered if maybe the man was fixing the restrooms, and had his summer-vacation sons along with him. One looked around 11, and the other about 6.
The cashiers were in a tizzy.
"Did you see that?"
"Yes! I didn't notice anybody going IN there, but they all three just came out."
"I wonder if that's our plumber. I'm going to go see..." Off she hustled to the parking lot, returning shortly. "Yeah, they're working on it."
Indeed, as I walked back to T-Hoe, I saw that Wiggins Plumbing trailer that I've noticed around town. It was backing into the space next to T-Hoe! The space that had been occupied when I went inside. T-Hoe was in the offset space, where that bicycle gal had once blocked me inside. The trailer was at an angle. I wasn't sure if I could get out, since the yellow concrete bumper thingy was in front of T-Hoe's tires. A man came walking from the side of the trailer, turning sideways to squeeze between T-Hoe's back bumper and the side of that trailer.
"Oh. Is this YOU?"
"Yes. That's me."
"Do you think you can get out?"
"I hope so. I hope I don't hit the side of your trailer when I back up. Maybe I can back far enough to turn the wheels and get out sideways."
"Here. I'll just move for you."
That was a smart decision. It was a really nice trailer, the closed-in kind like you might haul a race car in, black with yellow lettering. He drove forward, I was able to get out, and gave him a wave as I went past. I'm sure he was going to back into the space T-Hoe had occupied. It would give him twice the length as a regular parking space, due to the location at the end of the building.
He must have had a whole lot of equipment in that trailer. Maybe a selection of pipes, since tools shouldn't take up so much room.
6 comments:
Well, for once, this is a positive tale. Someone did something smart and kind.
Wonder of wonder, miracle of miracles.
Sioux,
I'd LIKE to say that I only write about the not-positive things because they're more interesting. Truth is, there are aren't enough positive things to write about! You get it all!
What a nice man, to move his trailer for you. And fix the plumbing :)
River,
Yes, it WAS nice of him to move to let me out. And his reward was my parking space, which gave him twice as much room for his truck and trailer. His boys were well-behaved too. Not bratty.
A good deed. My sister worked for a weekly newspaper once upon a time. It was a four pager and hard to fill. Her job was to call subscibers and find out about their weekends and anything happening they wanted published and write it up. "Mrs. Edna Peabody, wicow of John Peabody had her son and his family in church last Sunday. They enjoyed luch at Ruby Tuesday afterwards." She would embellish it and add all the names of the attendees. Inspired by her freedom to fill blank spaces she added a column "Caught Doin' Good" This would require a picture of the do-gooder to go along with the write up. The size of the picture would always depend on how much space she needed to fill. This kept the phone buzzing in that little office with stories of good deeds. Your plumber's gallantry would definitely have qualified. I can see it now, a picture of his trailer with his logo and the story to follow under it! I miss my sister!
Kathy,
I saw that plumber's truck and trailer again today, driving over by the Hillmomba high school and bowling alley. And when I pulled into Country Mart an hour later, THERE IT WAS, parked down at the end in that parking spot I favor. I didn't see him inside, and he was gone when I left. I guess he finished his job there.
Your sister might have gotten a good story out of him! At least the picture of his trailer would take up a nice amount of space.
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