Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Broken Pipes, Part II

It wouldn’t be fair for me not to share the rest of this story, because it does have a happy ending.

About five minutes after I turned the water main off (the point at which I had decided the camel was indeed dead), the Primary President (Mormon Lingo Alert--MLA) called to ask me about my plans for the quarterly activity (MLA). I must have had that I’m-having-a-nervous-breakdown lilt to my voice because she asked, “Are you okay?” To which I immediately broke down into a weepy mess. Of course she asked if there was anything she could do. Of course I made light of the situation and told her I’d just call a plumber. (Note: she later brought me pizza and salad for dinner because, “what can you make without access to water?”)

About five minutes after hanging up the phone, it rang yet again. This time it was a member of the bishopric (MLA) who said, and I quote, “I heard you’re having a bad day.” Now this is what I know about women having bad days. When anyone asks how we’re doing with any amount of sympathy we cry (forgive me for the gross generalization). I don’t know what it is, but after having my pipes break I’ve decided it works much like a water main shutoff, only in reverse. I cried. He came over.

About five minutes after this bishopric member climbed into the crawl space of my home, we discovered that while the water could have sprayed anywhere, it did NOT land on the exposed sheetrock under the stairs. It sprayed up onto the stairs and then dripped back onto the concrete floor below. Not only that, but I caught the leak shortly after it had sprung, so there was very little water on the aforementioned concrete. All in all I was lucky. Or blessed, depending on your perspective (I’m going with blessed, because, gosh, it makes me feel good).

So this bishopric member was able to apply a temporary patch to my broken pipe so I could turn the water back on. He also called me once a day until Sunday to see if everything was okay.

Now on Friday I called two plumbers and left messages (apparently there was a rash of broken pipes in the Idaho Falls area, making local plumbers very rich. Er, busy. I meant, busy.). No one called me back.

Fast forward to Saturday morning when my friend and her husband show up to take a look at my broken pipe. After taking a gander he decides to go to Lowe’s, purchase a torch (and whatever else one purchases with a torch) in order to sauder my pipe into working order. They go to Lowe’s where they find an easy fix (cut off the pipe – because it just connects to an outdoor spicket we don’t use anyway -- and plug it with what’s called a “shark’s bite”). Now before they knew this project would only take 15 minutes to complete, they were willing to spend their entire Saturday morning torching and saudering so that I wouldn’t have to pay a plumber. Sweet, right?

What I’ve learned:

1. The Mormon grapevine is fast and effective
2. Nice people rule!
3. I’ll be looking for the opportunity to bless someone else’s life the same way, because really, it can make all the difference in the world.

So I guess that means my camel was just playing possum. I love it when that happens!

19 comments:

Life As I Know It said...

What amazingly kind and helpful people you have in your life!

Just found your blog recently. I'll be back for more reading!

Rachel said...

it sounds like you have a great "ward." that makes such a difference in your life. Surrounding yourself with people who love you and sacrifice for you makes all the difference. Of course, you have to be that person too.. which you totally are.

It is interesting what a differece perspective makes in situations such as these. ONe person could cry "poor me," or "I have rotten luck," and then someone like you would say "look at what these people did for me and I am so blessed." Then turn and look for a way to "pay it forward."

You are sweet
-singed "quotation queen"
seriously.. what was with all my ""

erin said...

Now that is what the church is all about. People caring enough to make sure others are okay. We are so glad that everything worked out, and that you are surrounded by great people when you are far away from family. We love you!

Christine said...

I just found your blog yesterday and I'm hooked. I live in UT (guess what religion?) and I have to say that we've recently had some experiences with near anxiety attacks and ward members coming through. It's amazing, isn't it? I'm glad you've got a good support system!

jason said...

Sounds like your friends up there are to great for words. As a brother of yours who is to far away to help that much, it make me feel much better that there are people around who care enough to help!! love ya!

Melodrama Mama said...

Got to love the LDS grapevine - and got to love friends with time and talents! I am glad that your water issue was minimal.

Janice {Run Far} said...

I know what you mean about the "ward family grapevine", news, weather good or bad spreads like wild fire. I agree, nice people rock, I like to think of myself as a nice person, therefore I must rock. :)

Rock on sister, you deserve the best.

Karen said...

No wonder I love coming here. You have all sorts of reasons to moan and complain, but yet your posts look at the positive and you celebrate your blessings!
Keep it up!

Rhonda Barnes said...

Being far, far away....so glad my prayers are answered in your behalf. love you Mom

Candygirlflies said...

Dang, that story's enough to make me want to convert... What wonderful people you have in your life!!

xoxo CGF

jen said...

I'm so glad you've got good nice people to help you out over there. I wish we could be close but until then I am very grateful for all the people that are surrounding you. love ya, jen

Lauren said...

I love the Mormon grapevine.

Tola said...

or as it's called in Hawaii, the Coconut Telegraph

Carrie Wilson Link said...

I'm with you, BLESSED, not "lucky." Now you've got me all intrigued with the MLA!

Great story, and yes, the camel was just faking it.

Spammon said...

All I have to say is it's a good thing it wasn't the sewage pipe, because poo on the stairs ain't gonna make nobody happy.

GustoBones said...

Say what you will about mormons, we are trained to serve and give, which is a good thing. When my pipe burst, I woke my neighbor(I do love her) to help me turn off the water(long story). Then she turned around and went right back home. My nursing infant screaming in his crib and she came and surveyed the puddle in my bathroom and still just wnet back to bed!!! I had to sit and nurse my screaming baby while the standing water seeped further and further out of the bathroom onto my carpet. I didn't talk to her again for 3 days and when we were talking she said, "I thought about how we have a wet/dry vac that I should loan you." She didn't, she just went back to bed. While I gathered up my sleeping ones(it was 6 in the morning and headed out to Albertson's to rent a rug doctor. All the while I just kept thinking, she wouldn't have gone straight back to bed if she was a mormon! hahaha, people who aren't mormons give tons of love and service too, don't get me wrong. But I must say I was floored that she just turned around and went back home. Did I mention she just left me and went back home?

shauna said...

Gustogirl. Unbelievable. It's hard to imagine that your neighbor has ever in her life experienced an emergency all alone without a clue how to resolve it, because I think just about everyone who has can empathize with that helpless fealing that accompanies it. Wish I had been your neighbor. I may not have known what to do but I could have called around while you nursed your baby (or messed with the water main shut-off--it took me forever to figure out how it worked).

Anonymous said...

That camel has a sick sense of humor!!

I am glad the love of friends came through. In most cases they always do. You are blessed! I am so glad you got a break, you deserved it.

Lets hope you have a much easier month.
XOXOXOX

Kapuananiokalaniakea said...

YEAH!!! Thank you for sharing this blessed story.

I'm so glad that your camel has been revived. Even though they're stinky and they spit, they can be nice to have around sometimes.