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Roy Burkhead, MFA's avatar

Great story and even better solution. I've never been what some people label as "handy around the house." Anytime something breaks, my solution is to call for help and write a check. It's in reaction to growing up in a poor family in Kentucky. One summer, I was forced to help build our 40x40 garage from concrete to roof. Another summer, I helped my dad dig a basement under our house by hand. When I complained and wanted a day off, he'd have a load of wood delivered to the house and have my chop it up before I "took the rest of the day off." These days, Darrell rocks whenever I need him, whatever his name may be. :-)

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Richard Goodman's avatar

I hear you about the phone call!

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PHILIPPE MISTELI's avatar

Hi Richard , thank you for your story. Always good to hear from you and to read your well written letters. Can't wait you being in Paris and the Sacré Coeur !

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Richard Goodman's avatar

Merci, Philippe! Moi aussi!

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Marina Osipova's avatar

All’s Well That Ends Well. Congratulations, Richard! You were blessed by meeting Darren. If you have a chance, tell him that one of your friends said meeting people like him is a lucky chance, and he is in the guild of heroes for me.

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Richard Goodman's avatar

I will, Marina!

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Elizabeth Godfrey's avatar

Those competent and efficient trades-people are gems! Glad you found one. Now, about that grease...🤭

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Richard Goodman's avatar

Grease? What grease?

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Jennifer Clements's avatar

Lovely story. You’ve captured it beautifully, that feeling of relief knowing a competent, decent person can handle the job and charge you a reasonable fee. (We have our own Darren who helps out in our Catskills bungalow!) A really nice read, thank you Richard!

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Richard Goodman's avatar

Thank you, Jennifer. Everyone needs a Darren!

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olivier's avatar

Ah! the miracle of someone competent who actually shows up, fixes the problem and doesn't charge you hospital prices. I can totally relate. I admire your ability to turn the feelings associated with such an experience into a nice story to read.

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Richard Goodman's avatar

Yes, Olivier, I remember you telling me about some of your encounters about the water? Heating? Cooling? At your house. I'm so glad you found it a decent story.

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Tom Mann's avatar

Nice story, Rich. We’ve all been there, and you captured the feelings of relief and gratitude well that we have when a good man comes to the house and saves our butt from some mechanical or technological problem. I hope life in LA is going well for you.

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Richard Goodman's avatar

Yes, indeed, that person is a lifeline! Life in LAS is fine. I'm assuming life in France ain't too shabby!

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Nancy Harmon Jenkins's avatar

I don't envy your situation but at least you've found a good man. And a good woman. She's the one who looked him up, right?

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Richard Goodman's avatar

Yes! The piece is really about how vulnerable we are in terms of things that go wrong and how good it is to find an honest person who knows what they're doing.

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