I have a great bunch of gals in my book club. Everyone of them is in or has been in some stage of caregiving. What are the odds? Really high. Sometimes they let me share their stories, for educational purposes, like this one.
Mother was released from rehab a few weeks ago. I decided to bunk in with her for a few weeks for her safekeeeping. Sleep has eluded her for years so, any night that we all get sleep is a grace from God.
Out of the blue, I get a call from the electric company:
“Ma’am, this is the electric company.”
“Yes, what can I do for you?”
“Our grid is showing that you have a dangerous connection in the street outside your home. We need to come check that and repair it if necessary.”
“Okay, we’re here most of the time. When can you come?”
“We will be there tomorrow at 2.”
I’m thinking: Wow, tomorrow? That’s really efficient.
Tomorrow arrives and so does 2:00. And then 2:30. And then 3:00 . You guessed it. They never show up. I chalk this up to just another utility, service call, cable company, washer repair man….you name it, not showing up like they said they would.
Since they initiated the call, I figured they would get back to me.
At 1:30 A.M. the phone rings at my mother’s house. I jump up to answer it so that it doesn’t wake my miraculously sleeping mother and the hired caregiver we have to help at night.
“Hello, ma’am?”
“Yeeeesssss?????” I mutter, barely cognizant to have a conversation.
“This is the electric company. We are outside your house and need you to go throw the main switch in your basement to turn off all your electric so we can work on the problem out in the street.”
Okay three things here:
- Really? 2 A.M.???
- Of course that night my mother slept like a baby, as I sat on the stoop in my p.j.’s and watched the electric repair guys.
- What have we learned? (for educational purposes) That 2:00 comes twice in 24 hours? That between babies and elderly parents we will never sleep again? That someone needs to explain to the electric company that this is unusual? Or…..we’ve learned nothing….we’re too tired.
Cathy Sikorski
Wow. One teeny, tiny little letter makes all the difference in the world. Bastards.
I know, right???? Who would have ever questioned that?
There would be little care given to the words I would use if someone even attempted to wake me up at that time!
Perhaps you can teach me some Irish ones that would be useful in the future.
I can honestly say I never thought the question AM or PM would be needed. Oh my!
OMG I would be furious…or perhaps too sleepy to give a damn. I probably would have brought a pillow and a blanket out to the front lawn and slept while they worked….
My friend got close, she just sat on the stoop hoping for inspiration for the next time. Because you know there will be a next time.