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Reflections November 2012

Senior Moments

Thanksgiving Angel

By Edward A. Joseph

It was the evening before Thanksgiving and Susan's six siblings with their families would be arriving the next day for the feast. Our beloved dishwasher, which had survived many arduous washing events, had suddenly died.

Purists will protest that an angel cannot look like a pugilist and talk like the “Godfather."My wife and I beg to differ.

It was the evening before Thanksgiving and Susan's six siblings with their families would be arriving the next day for the feast. Our beloved dishwasher, which had survived many arduous washing events, had suddenly died.

Panic was setting in as I grabbed the phone with slim hope that I could persuade a repairman to come out the night before a major holiday.

"Yeah, sounds like you got a problem," the gravelly voiced answered. Then silence.

"Hello, are you there," I asked as my grip on the phone intensified.

"Yeah, I'm here. I was just thinking. I'll come over and take a look."

"Sue, it's unbelievable, he's coming over. But he doesn't sound like a repairman, more like a bodyguard for a rock star."

"Who cares what he sounds like, as long as he knows what he's doing."

"You're right, as long as he knows what he's doing…."

When the doorbell rang I answered it and was looking at a man I would want on my side if attacked by a street gang.

"I appreciate you coming over on such short notice and before such a big holiday," I said as I led him into the kitchen.

"Yeah, when you described what happened, it got me thinking. I'm pretty sure I can fix it," he answered.

He put his toolbox on the floor and while lying down took off the bottom cover of the dishwasher. That's when I saw the gun, the handle visible in its holster just above his ankle. "Ah, I see you carry a gun."

"Yeah, I do some security work."

A dishwasher repairman who does security work. O.K., as long as he knows what he's doing….

"Yeah, this is the problem," he said as he held up a small part that he had just removed. "Most people don't bother having it replaced because there is no guarantee how long the dishwasher will last even with the new part, but I think you'll be all right."

When he finished cleaning up, I asked him what I owed him. He quoted me a ridiculously low price, and I had to push him to accept a tip. As he was leaving, I thanked him for saving our holiday. He looked at me and said, "I knew you had a problem."

The dishwasher gave us many years of excellent service until we finally decided to upgrade to a newer model.

Angels can arrive in some unusual disguises.

 

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