Friday, December 16, 2005
Bumps in the road- part 2
Let me start by saying that the girlfriend and the electrician saved my ass. It came with a price though and it was more than monetary. My friends and family warned me about hiring a "friend". Well, the girlfriend was never actually my friend. She swept in A's life about 8 months ago. I thought it was weird that she had no friends or family to speak of. I also had begun to suspect A's judgment by this time. However, I really needed some carpentry and some dry walling done. I found the electrician through a friend, but he had no interest in the other part. I also liked the idea of giving work to someone who was helping to support my best friend and her kids.
The girlfriend did a great job, but it took so much longer than I expected. It should have been done in two weeks, but it took four weeks. She lives about an hour and a half away so I promised to pay for gas. I expected her to arrive around 8:30 or 9:00 am and leave around 5:00 pm. I also offered to let her stay overnight. A typical day started at 11:00 am and ended at 2:00 pm. She did stay one night, but only because she and A were involved in one of their psychotic dramas (that is a whole other post). It was a strange time for me because it was exciting to see the progress, but I dreaded see her and/or the electrician. It was like having lingering guest and you have to pay them. I did help as much as I could, but I found the forced conversation too taxing. I felt like she was fishing for some information about A. They have a dramatic relationship filled with jealousy and mistrust so I never knew if what I casually mentioned would turn into a fight. She spent way too much time on the phone or crying while I was also on the phone with A. I am sad to say that shortly after the project was finished, A and I stopped speaking. It had nothing to do specifically with the project, because I was pleased with the final outcome and I compensated the girlfriend more than fairly. A withdrew from me and I got sick of having a one-sided friendship.
So, we have the drama from our construction worker and then we add in the *odd* electrician and his partner. S is a large man from Chicago and N is a small woman from South Carolina. Again, they saved my ass. S is great at his job and he is also one of those people who has lots of opinions which he must share. They seem to be forever on a break. When they were working, he was downright nasty and disrespectful to her. She would spend 1/2 hours at a time in the car with the window shades put up in the front window. It was freaking hot. I am not saying she was shooting up in her car, but it sure seemed like it. I also never knew when they were coming to working. Unlike the girlfriend, they did not come every day. When they did come they would stay until 9:00 pm or later. By week four I was so done with all of them. S and N had been over for a couple of days in a row and they kept telling me that they were almost finished. Around 8:00 pm this one Thursday, I am standing in the kitchen ranting about them going home to myself (I thought). Well, my tape recorder, also known as Kai, went downstairs and told they that it was time for them to go home. So N calls me and asks if everything is okay and "did we make you mad?" I felt awful. I had to go downstairs and try and take it back. I explained that I was frustrated and tired. I felt even worse when they gave me the billed. They charged me about half of what one should pay for an electrician labor. I am happy to say that everything finally got finished and works perfectly. I also am still trying to make up for being such an asshole by giving S and N a discount on their medications.
Next post, we lay carpet (hee,hee)....
The girlfriend did a great job, but it took so much longer than I expected. It should have been done in two weeks, but it took four weeks. She lives about an hour and a half away so I promised to pay for gas. I expected her to arrive around 8:30 or 9:00 am and leave around 5:00 pm. I also offered to let her stay overnight. A typical day started at 11:00 am and ended at 2:00 pm. She did stay one night, but only because she and A were involved in one of their psychotic dramas (that is a whole other post). It was a strange time for me because it was exciting to see the progress, but I dreaded see her and/or the electrician. It was like having lingering guest and you have to pay them. I did help as much as I could, but I found the forced conversation too taxing. I felt like she was fishing for some information about A. They have a dramatic relationship filled with jealousy and mistrust so I never knew if what I casually mentioned would turn into a fight. She spent way too much time on the phone or crying while I was also on the phone with A. I am sad to say that shortly after the project was finished, A and I stopped speaking. It had nothing to do specifically with the project, because I was pleased with the final outcome and I compensated the girlfriend more than fairly. A withdrew from me and I got sick of having a one-sided friendship.
So, we have the drama from our construction worker and then we add in the *odd* electrician and his partner. S is a large man from Chicago and N is a small woman from South Carolina. Again, they saved my ass. S is great at his job and he is also one of those people who has lots of opinions which he must share. They seem to be forever on a break. When they were working, he was downright nasty and disrespectful to her. She would spend 1/2 hours at a time in the car with the window shades put up in the front window. It was freaking hot. I am not saying she was shooting up in her car, but it sure seemed like it. I also never knew when they were coming to working. Unlike the girlfriend, they did not come every day. When they did come they would stay until 9:00 pm or later. By week four I was so done with all of them. S and N had been over for a couple of days in a row and they kept telling me that they were almost finished. Around 8:00 pm this one Thursday, I am standing in the kitchen ranting about them going home to myself (I thought). Well, my tape recorder, also known as Kai, went downstairs and told they that it was time for them to go home. So N calls me and asks if everything is okay and "did we make you mad?" I felt awful. I had to go downstairs and try and take it back. I explained that I was frustrated and tired. I felt even worse when they gave me the billed. They charged me about half of what one should pay for an electrician labor. I am happy to say that everything finally got finished and works perfectly. I also am still trying to make up for being such an asshole by giving S and N a discount on their medications.
Next post, we lay carpet (hee,hee)....
# posted by Dawn @ 6:10 AM 
