One Good Deed

Sometimes a good deed works out. Not often, but sometimes.

With the severe rains we have had recently, I have a couple of problems that need to be taken care of. I have called several contractors in the area, including a couple that specialize in water damage repair. One made an appointment to come look at the job. That was ten days ago. He didn't show up and has not called. Other contractors' offices have told me to expect a call back to schedule meetings. None of them have called back.

Several years ago, I hired a young contractor who was recommended to me by his mother-in-law. She said he was very good, but was having a hard time in this area because of his appearance, He was, shall we say, a rowdy young man in his youth, He was from East LA and had numerous tattoos, including around his neck. I can understand why he would have problems in this city.

I gave the guy a chance and I had him do some work for me. I was very happy with the quality of his work and with the fact that he got things done on time. The last time I had him do a small job, he told me that he had gone back to work for a builder, because he was having a tough time as a contractor.

I ran across his old business card and gave him a call. I am getting desperate, so I called him even though I expected a disconnected number. Ha! He answered the phone and immediately recognized my name and asked me how a couple of the repairs had worked out. Good memory. He has moved away from this area - nearly three hundred miles away.  But he said he is going to be up here next week and will stop by and look at the work I need done. He said he still has a crew in this area and if they can't handle the job, he knows contractors in the area who can do it and he will stand behind their work. Now that's a good businessman, and a decent guy who shows his appreciation. Hard to find in the building trades.

Impossible to find. Hold onto his number.

Abso-fucking-lutely!
Turns out that his old business card I have has his private number on it, so I don't have to go through the irritation of clerical type people when I call.

I'll bet you're not the only household in California who has suddenly discovered leaks.

I'm guessing you're right about that. This fucking rain has been terrible. In three weeks, we got a normal year's worth of rain. The largest reservoir we have here is a lake about twenty miles long and the water level increased fifteen feet in six days.

Living on a hillside naturally increase the problems caused by this kind of rain. Historically, February is a bit wetter than January, and March has been known to occasionally be very wet. I know we needed rain (note the past tense), but come on...there are limits.

No wildfires though.

Not until it quits raining.

When, or IF? How's that ark coming?