Gee, Why am I So Crazy all the Time?

[SoniCido]

 Anticipation rose by the day, and then by the hour, as I prepared to take two of my oldest daughters to California for a long-overdue vacation. The highlight of the trip for them was to visit the, Hollywood Walk of Fame, Universal Studios, and of course, the beach. The highlight, no, the focus for me was to finally see one of my best friends, Sarah, whom I haven't seen in person for six long years. Sarah and I met in Cancun Mexico on a trip that was set up by an internet scam company. Although we both dropped the fraudulent "business", we began to build a friendship based on truth, and love. 

Six years ago, Sarah and I were at the peak of our lives-happy and content with newfound love, promising futures, and financially secure. Unfortunately, shortly after we met, bonded, and flew home, both of our lives fell apart within months. Not because of what we were doing, but because of who we were doing it with; and because of what others chose to do to us; for fun. 

Today, Sarah and I have overcome huge obstacles, poverty, and horrendous attacks that are completely criminal. Thank goodness for cell phones, internet, and perseverance, or we would have missed the benefit of the strong support we gave each other; at our beckon call! 

As with many a hay-day, rain seems to find a way to threaten; this time, by way of premonition. As the departure day approached, I could not shake the disturbing “feeling” that something really bad was going to happen while on the trip. Of course, when one is planning a long drive, one’s first worry is car trouble, or an accident.

“Please, don’t let us get in a car wreck. Keep us safe. I’ll take anything else if this feeling must persist-but please-not with the car, or the girls!” was my constant prayer that week mingled with, “Please bless Sarah. Without her providing us lodging, this trip wouldn’t happen at all.” 

Other than forgetting to take the Phoenix by-pass, and facing two detours off the 60, which added an extra three hours to our driving time, we had a very enjoyable trip to L.A. Sarah and I burst into each other’s arms and could not believe we were actually hugging! What an awesome reunion! It was way too hard to go to sleep that night. That was Wednesday. By Thursday evening, my premonition burst into display! The sewer backed up in Sarah’s beautiful Diamond Bar home on the hill. Feces, soapy water and all kinds who-knows-what came up from the drains, seeped under walls and into her master bathroom!! With only one shower down and three to go, we were exasperated! My daughters and I hadn’t showered since leaving home as we bounded out of bed that first morning, and headed to the beach to sweat all day! Sarah needed one for work the next morning. Thank God her neighbor was hospitable to let us all use hers. 

The plumber arrived Friday morning before Sarah had to leave for work. “Yup, must have been a flushed tampon.” He informed as he snaked his way to the clog. Now, being the owner of a septic tank, I know that a tampon clogs toilets, and backs them up. The last thing they have the power to do is to plug and back up, an entire sewer pipe all the way to the street. After he left us for a couple of hours with the feeling of, “it is our fault”, he changed his story several times while racking up a $600 fee for Sarah to pay. “Could be tree roots…could have been build up of sludge…I replaced pipes behind your washer since they were kinda small”. Washer? But the back-up was in the tub…or was it the toilet? Wait, it was a tampon…or, I think he said in the drain to the street…oh well…it was fixed. The insurance company took it from there with a disinfecting team, three days of heaters, fans. While things were drying out, the girls and I made use of the beach, the highways and the cameras. The insurance company put Sarah and her sons in a hotel, since her master bed and bath were unusable, and we were occupying the guest rooms. Besides, we come from a large family, and can deal with noise, and disruptions, while sleeping. Besides, Sarah needed the Jacuzzi more than we did! 

The weekend flew by. We had a fun day with Sarah and her boys in Hollywood; met up with my oldest daughter for dinner, and by Sunday evening, we were ready for our one last big day at Universal Studios.  Everyone showered, and dressed, and- whala! More sewer water! Only this time it was worse than the first time. We were on our way out the door, and everything came to a screeching halt as I ran to unplug fans and heaters, that were now sitting in 2 inches of sewage! I called Sarah, to give her opportunity to pull a 180. While taking the oldest to his first day of Kindergarten, and heading to work with her youngest burning with a fever, she received my call, promptly ran a red light, signed the ticket, and turned around. Sarah arrived to begin the procession of calls to the plumber and insurance company, as we scurried out the door to start our later-than-planned all day trip to Universal. 

“Hey Sarah, what’s up?”.

“Hi Sweetie. Well, the plumber was here and he said that this time he found a lot of sand-like a sand bar in the pipes…”

“Oh, I suppose, he didn’t snake it all the first time. He probably just poked a hole in it.”

“Well, he found a bag of sand by the washing machine. Did the girls shake out their stuff from the beach before they washed it?”

“What! He’s saying that it’s BEACH sand???” what was it the first time, then, fatso! couldn’t get your fat arm down the hole far enough?

“Sarah. Seriously, the girls know not to dump sandy stuff I the washer; and besides, I saw them shake it off in the driveway before hand.” Stupid idiot; he needs to spend his money on plumbing school. Like the bag of sand on the floor was proof that we dumped at least three more down the washing machine! Forensic evidence for sure!

“Now, I don’t think it was the girls. I don’t know, but he said there was a lot of sand in the pipes…”

“What an asshole. I wonder why he’s so bent on blaming your guests?” maybe he wants us out so he can move in…I saw the way he was trying to impress her that day…

“Oh, Honey, I don’t know. It’s so frustrating…”

We both laughed hard at the realization that if our friendship can survive this, it can survive anything.

“Well, I’m sure it’s more serious than a tampon or a few tablespoons of sand, Sarah. He’s an idiot. You should get a second opinion.”

It took until the Mummy Ride before I forgot about the lying plumber. The Mummy Ride will do that to you! The fear you face, blocks your memory; at least for a while. 

Exhausted, but satisfied with a day that ended with laughter and fun, I didn’t care what the news was, when I saw, “Sister Sarah” on the caller ID. 

“Hey, what’s up? We are almost to Diamond Bar.”

“Hi Soni…oh my gosh, I have to tell you that I’ve been talking to my father in law and he is mad! He said that plumber is the problem. We should be able to dump 5 gallon buckets of sand down a drain and it should NOT do what happened to us; not to mention, TWICE in a row.”

Praise God!! A man of true worth! “Well, bless his heart, Sarah. I knew it! Your father-in-law is a very wise man. I’m so thankful he told you!” I don’t know if my pipes could handle 5 gallons of sand, but a tampon and beach blankets wouldn’t be a problem…but far be it from me, to disagree with a single word he had to say. For once, I really appreciated the fact that the in-laws are still in her life, even though their son, is not. 

During the entire ordeal, Sarah was stretched and stressed beyond measure: her son starting Kindergarten; not being able to get time off; sick children; and the embarrassing, disruptive sewer intrusion causing her to stay in a hotel while she had guests in her home! 

During the entire ordeal, I worked daily at avoiding accidents on the California highways (not an easy task!); tried to cheer my embarrassed girls; felt a load of responsibility for something I knew was not our fault; was irritated by the fans blowing round the clock, and was saddened that my friend, whom I waited six years to see, was in a hotel up the road.
This must be a diversion program I laughed out loud as I remembered my prayer-“I’ll take anything…”. 

All in all, it was a fun trip. I learned a lot about Sarah’s character: totally delightful. I learned a lot about myself. Not so delightful. And I especially learned a lot about con-artists. That plumber was unprofessional, and a con-artist. He had Sarah’s sister thinking he’s the best, by doing a simple job for her quite well, then, he pulls dirt on Sarah and overcharges her; knowing that her sister will back him up. Since, Sarah has held him accountable for his actions. He now refuses to “deal” with her, insisting on her dad to be the mediator with his client! 

I can think of a great diversion program for this plumber. And it would involve sewer water.

[penguinsrock]

Sep. 7, 2007 at 11:08 PM Oh holy cow! What a trip! What a jerk of a plumber.