CARLOS RETURNS!

“One man scorned and covered with scars still strove with his last ounce of courage to reach the unreachable stars; and the world was better for this. -Don Quixote.”
― Joe Darion, Man of La Mancha

So we surveyed the empty bedroom we had just rescued from obscurity and possibly damnation, and TLW (The Little Woman) spoke up.

“We need to get these floors refinished. We also need to repaint, new molding and I’d like to buy some new curtains, and oh yes, the furnishings need an upgrade. You can paint them.”

Sobbing is what I do best as a husband. It requires very little effort and comes easily. All I need to do to sob is to remember her last idea that involves me. Of course, my sobbing comes in different forms with different symptoms. The soft gentle sniffling or a wringing of the hands, or something so subtle you would not even notice it like my hair hurting!

“We need to get that guy that did our floors back in ’08! What was his name?”

“We must have his bill, he was a Spanish guy if I remember, did a great job.”

TLW looks it up and finds him-Carlos! AH!  Carlos!

Not unlike a conquering hero, Carlos returns our call and TLW tells him how wonderful a job he did, and we want him to do more. He is inspired, he will now climb Mt Everest; forge a deep and wide river, even read this blogue for TLW after her compliments. He is coming Tuesday. Of course, they all come on Tuesday; it is an unwritten rule that service people come on Tuesday. He will also come on Wednesday and Thursday. This means we have to paint, and all the great plans TLW has envisioned. The painting has to be done first and moving furniture out of the room. I could use some medication, anything you got!

The big day arrives, a Tuesday. So does Carlos, machines and two assistants who do all the dirty work while Carlos sits outside on my lawn making calls on his cell.

I go outside and speak to Carlos.

“Ju know, we make the floors blend. You know why? Because we still do it the hold way! Yes, we use the hold chemicals, they are better, why they make us change, I don’t know?”

After the third day I look for Carlos in his usual position, on my lawn with the cell phone in his ear.

“Hey Carlos, how’s it going?”

Hoe, we are almost finished. You like it?”

“Sure do, you guys did a great job!”

Carlos grims and puts his phone away. “Eyup, we sure do!”