My phone request to Ameren made Monday at 1:30 connected. I was told a service person would visit me today and would try to make it before lunch as I requested.
I’ve been working as much as mon boss would allow me, but there was no hesitation in announcing I would not be in the showroom for the entire day since Ameren can’t promise when I’ll be reconnected. I would use the rest of the day to connect with my roofing contractor to whom I am DEEPLY indebted for the new roof installed when I thought I’d be professionally employed forever. I’ve promised to produce and maintain a web site for him. I promised him a web site, photography and writing to help pay him starting about four years ago, and annually since, but he declined every time with his non-response. He called me about a month ago saying I had stalled enough, and he wanted some kind of compensation that would include my promised web site help and a mutual accord re how much money I still owe him. He wanted to get this unhappy thorn in his side (and mine) behind him. Since I will be working fewer hours when Diane (not her real name) returns to the showroom following her recovery from a traffic accident some months ago, I figured I would have time to devote to the new web action. But Diane has not returned as fast as suggested two weeks ago by mon boss.
Even so, mon boss is further behind paying me than usual, and my faith in his EVER paying me what he owes me diminishes every day I go in. Typically he pays me half what he owes me. If that typical payment amount is made this week, it won’t cover half what he owe for my labors completed; it will cover a third; maybe less than that if I have to wait much longer. So you can see how my devotion to this fellow is less than it used to be and why I don’t mind taking a full day away from one of the nicest places to work (in terms of good people and good customers) I’ve ever known — out on the edge of the world though it may be.
The Ameren reconnecting fellow came about 10:20 this morning and was on his way to the next customer in less than half an hour. He was a nice fellow; not even an Ameren customer. He lives in the country and heats with propane. The bill for his last propane refill was more than $900! I consider myself lucky. . . . because I am.
The difference in the house was apparent in five minutes. I could inhale the heat coursing into my body via the duct/veins emanating from the basement furnace! A short 45 minutes later, I washed my hands in the first warm water created in this house since last March. I will shower for the first time since last March before heading back to “Rock City.”
In the meantime, in case you’re curious, my thermostat is set at a blistering 55 degrees. I am happy as a happy clam with that, though I know I’ll crank it up when the sun goes down.
I await the phone call from the roofing contractor’s secretary re a meeting today.
HEAT! It’s so nice to have you back where you belong!
Live long . . . . . and right good.
