Yesterday I phoned my friend, Lane, to let her know about the health of a mutual friend.
Lane still lives in a different time period than the rest of us. She barely uses her cell phone. She barely emails. I'm sure she has no idea what a blog is. Her kids are in high school and, of course, techno savvy, but somehow she missed the whole technology bandwagon.
Anyway, when I called her home phone, her mother-in-law, Edna, answered and told me that Lane was in Costa Rica. I had forgotten about their family vacay this week.
I was about to hang up the phone when Edna, in a highly distressed tone, said, "Wait!!!"
She then asked if I knew who usually took care of Lane's horses.
I said, "no, why?"
Edna said (very distressed tone): "I can't do it any more. I'm supposed to take care of them, but I'm 80 years old, and it has really messed up my arthritis. I'm in so much pain. I don't know what to do."
Me: "Gulp."
Now, I'm trying to think of a way out of going over there and cleaning stalls. What could I possibly say other than I'll be over to help you, poor little old lady? I barely have time for my own life - now I have to become a farm hand? What the hell is Lane thinking?
I told her to do some research? (well, what would you have said?) and try to find out who helps Lane out. I guess their cell phones don't work in Costa Rica.
So, I now have to call Edna in the a.m. to see how mad her research skillz are.
Wish me luck, cause I'm thinking I'll be smelling like horse manure tomorrow evening.
DAMN!!!! I didn't need extra chores this week!!!!
10 comments:
Well, if nothing else, a good day of horse caretaking should make for a great post.
If Edna's research skillz aren't up to the task, it might be easier to do the research for her than clean the stalls yourself! I'm just saying.
Hope your friend is ok.
This is totally insane! I'm with Angella. You gotta find someone on your own. Are there listings for stall cleaner in the yellow pages? Oh, geez. Let us know how it all turns out.
no more entrecard for you??? well, I'm glad I found your blog regardless.
Hope you friend is OK and that you aren't stepping in shit for too long.
You are indeed a great friend. But no way would I go muck out anyone's stalls.
Find someone else. And make SURE you hold this one over Lane's head forever.
yikes!
Oh, I'm with Kathy - I'd be calling everybody in the Yellow Pages (only I can't think where you'd look) - like you my first impulse, though, would be, oh I'll be right over. I'm working on the sorry, I can't, but why don't we look in the Yellow Pages...
I'm 46, so by the time I'm in my 50s I should be really very good at saying no. And in only 30 years I can be the old lady making other people guilty, yay!
@The Shark Tank - I'm sure everyone is dying th hear about horse poop on my shoes and the acrid odor of horse urine hanging in the air.
@Angella Lister - You have a point. I'd rather use the phone than the shovel.
@Kathy - I don't think there are listings for stall cleaners, but in this economy that could be a good business idea.
@Stacie - Mixed feelings on EC - love the blogs I found - and am working on a big blogroll before I quit.
@The Mother - Yeah, my husband said I should have said, 'sorry, wrong number!" and hung up.
@flawsnall - that's one of my fav-o-rite words - yikes!
@Lidian - I'm such a push over. I look forward to the making someone else feel guilty, too!
I would have done the exact same thing. And then felt the exact same way. But how do you say no to someone's elderly mother? Like Shawn, and in spite of poop and urine, I'm curious how it worked out. Happy Easter!
It will feel so good when it stops...
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