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The
Room With A View
Our
Sunroom
This is satire: A literary work in which human vice or folly is attacked through irony, derision, or wit...pure and simple.
The author considers the random, and confounding nature of humans in keeping with that of the cosmos, and planet. A..holes are a necessity, and no matter which way you turn, it's still behind you. This applies to humans so catagorized...there's no way to avoid them...they are part, and parcel to this ingenious invention.
Paranoia peaking through? No...the author isn't paranoid, as a matter of fact, the author is super-nonsupicious; non-skeptical; almost child-like in trusting. Possibly indidgnant? Never...that's for ill-bred children...the author boasts even to be without ego. Thoughout this treatise, where it mentions paranoia, read: "DISTRUST".
***** INDEX TO UPDATES *****
After thirty years of replacing screening, and daily
cleaning of the space of wind-blown dust, and soot, we figured it was time
for our old pateo to be replaced.
Coincidently with this decision we noticed an advertisement in the local
paper for such a replacement...it was advertised as a "Sun Room"...this was in
early June of 2006. It being a Sunday, we decided to enguire about this the next
day - Monday.
After
a few days a nice man arrived at our place, and we signed up for the Sun Room.
The nice man told us it would be fully installed the following month during the
first week of July actually. We sealed the deal with a thousand bux for
starters. The nice man left happy and told us they would go to work on the
permit and plans right away.
In
the next few days the nice man appeared at our place taking digital photos of
our place, and the old pateo. We didn't see him again, but a young lady did show
up and took some measurements...she had an impressive clip board, and some
papers with her. She was here for about fifteen minutes and
left.
As
July approached we enguired as to how it was going. The nice man said:
"Good".
July
came and went, but the nice man was optimistic...any day now. I was
hurricane season and we figured we'd have to work in between storms. Storms
never came...the weather being perfect for such work.
August came...and went.
September came...and went...the nice man, and other nice people told
us any day now.
October came...the nice man told us they were ready to order the
materials, and asked of one-third of the money to procure it...that was around
six-grand. Happy that something was happening, we shelled out the
money.
November came. During the latter part of November one evening
in the dark two men parked a trailor on our driveway...told us it contained
parts of the Sun Room structure...asked for another third ( six-grand ). We
gave them nothing...they left sans trailor...they didn't care about the
money. A half hour later the "Project Manager" for the job arrived
with a flash light...it was very dark.
Another nice man...very pleasant...very upbeat. He intimated that
things would finally begin to happen...he left with
six-grand.
The
next afternoon a "demo" ( demolition ) "team"...one fellow arrived, and
began taking down the old pateo. A little while later several others came,
and by late afternoon the old pateo lay in
pieces.
The
following day early in the morning the "concrete" guys arrived. They began by
sawing a few inches off of the old pateo slab all around.
Before long the form for pouring the concrete "footer" was in place. The
concrete forman...actually the owner of the company with the contract to do the
job, another nice fellow...young...said they'd return at 1230 the next day with
the concrete "pump" to begin pouring the footer.
The
next day came...1230 came, and no body. Nobody ever from that company every
came...ever. The form with it's ditch remains as they left it...beginning to
fill with leaves.
A
strange thing did happen though...a day or so later after putting in the form,
the nice young fellow who owned the concrete company arrived early
night...around seven or so, and installed one piece of rebar that had been left
leaning against a tree. He, with another young fellow began hammering with a
small sledge to loosen the epoxied-in rebar in the house's foundation in order
to gain an inch or so to attach the forgotten piece of rebar to. They haven't
been seen since.
In
the last few days of November the "Project Manager" popped by to say the job
will finally start "soon". With the added: "Let's hope we can finish by Xmas."
The next day a nice young lady dropped by the envelope that is supposed to be
displayed prominently at the beginning of work. Then a day or so later another
nice young lady dropped by with a "Temporary Permit"...good for five ( 5 )
days.
The
following day we received in the mail a letter from the nice company telling us
that now since the work has begun, we should be prepared to settle the remainder
of the bill shortly when work is completed. A nice letter.
Five
days came, and went, and figuring our "temporary" permit had expired, and
wondering what then, we called the Building Inspection people and enquired about
that. The Chief Building Inspector himself had answered the phone, and was
confused about the call since his office hadn't issued any such
permit...temporary or other wise, and that would we fax that to
him.
Within an hour he in our back yard with another "inspector", the other
inspector taking digital photos, and shaking his head. They did like the job the
concrete guys did on putting in the form, but told us something was fishy...or
words to that effect. He did ask if we were looking for our money back. We told
him we just want the job done as advertised...period.
The
next day early morning the nice Project Manager shows up with another fellow,
both neatly dressed...even wearing ties. The other fellow introduces himself as
the company's Senior VP...a seemingly nice fellow. We told them the Building
Inspector Chief paid a visit here, and they said they had heard, and were
heading down that way to see him. They left.
That
evening the nice Project Manager called to say everything was alright. Since
then we haven't heard anything from anyone. The new year is a week old, and
there's nothing new to report.
To
give you an idea of what we had, and what we had expected by now, here's some
photos:
The
old pateo looking South.
Looking North:
The
old structure complete:
It
was a cozy little pateo, but since we adopted a male puppy, the screening stood
no chance.
Besides being just right in size, it was quite strong, and survived
several near miss Hurricanes. My favorite spot next to the green
table:
All
gone. Just a chair...no table:
Sad...what!
It
hurts to view this photo:
The
form for the "footer". Well built...professional...should stand for
ages.
Our
pal poses in the bright winter sun...January:
The
corner of the form showing the rebar.
From
Google images...the type of Sun Room we think we were
getting.
From
Google images again:
The
Spooky Trailor:
JUSTIFIABLE PARANOIA?
I don't know...but is this how land lubbers treat seamen, or do they treat their own the same? We're being funny here...they'd treat Rocket Scientists the same.
Will keep you posted as the second week in the first month of the new year starts.
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