some plumbing in, and then it was time for Derek to go to Germany for a week.They made quick progress and it was fun to see. But the Tuesday night after Derek left, we had an issue.
It was almost 9:00 pm; I had gotten the girls to bed. Derek was gone. I was congratulating myself on getting half way through his trip. I put a doorstop in front of the doors for extra security, just to make myself feel better.
I was about to get into the shower when the doorbell rings. It was starting to get dark so I ignore it and continue undressing for the shower.
The doorbell rings again. So I called Dale, and say "Hey, do you have any guys coming over right now? Someone's ringing my doorbell."
"Nope, none of my guys should be there," he says. So I hang up. The doorbell rings again.
I call my parents' house, panicking. "Dad, someone's trying to get in the house! Can you come over?" I know I should have thought to call a neighbor first, or maybe even the police, but I was scared and not thinking. I guess when you're scared, your first instinct is to call your daddy. And of course he agreed and got in his car. I hastily put on a bra and the nearest piece of clothing I could find, a comfortable dress, and went downstairs.
The guy who had been ringing the doorbell had the lockbox code and started trying to get in! Finn, our Irish terrier, was barking like crazy.
"Hello?!" I yelled. "Who are you and what are you doing?!"
"I'm the plumber! I have to do one minute's worth of work. Spray foam. Let me in, there's something in the way!" My doorstop had worked.
"At 9:00 at night?!" I screamed. "No, you have to wait for my dad to get here."
So he went and sat on my porch, while I stood in my living room, shaking. My dad showed up so fast - my parents' house is only a mile away. And he started screaming at this guy, "Get out of here! What are you doing here?!"
Glad my dad was there, I went on the porch. I said "Dad, it's ok. He has a quick job to do, I just want you to stay with me while he does it."
This guy got up and left, "I'm not doing it if you're going to be like that!" he said, walking to his truck parked in the street. "I've got an hour long drive home, and I got left alone at the last job. All I had to do was some spray foam!"
"No!" I said, "Just do it!" I didn't want him coming back.
Meanwhile, Dale texted me: "Is everything ok?" I texted back: "No, it's the plumber!" He immediately called me.
"I'm so sorry, Anne, this shouldn't have happened. I'm calling my plumber now."
The guy was quick, he did only have one minute's worth of spray foam to complete. But it was 9:00 at night! I was so upset.
After he left, I had my dad stay with me for a half hour or so while I calmed down. The plumber (this guy's boss, apparently) called to apologize. Apparently they thought the house was vacant. But my car was in the driveway and Finn was barking up a storm! How could anyone think that?
I was so upset. I don't really blame Dale. He had told me before this incident that it wasn't his normal plumbing company, but obviously he had a communication issue.
I called Derek in Germany and left a tearful message. He called back at midnight but I answered and cried to him on the phone. I think he felt bad.
Dale was so apologetic the rest of the week. I was so relieved when Derek got home. What a nightmare. But I am glad my doorstop trick worked.
