It all started with having to buy a new fridge online.

Canadian Appliance Source
CAS for short.

“And how are you doing today, sir?”

I chuckle.
“Not bad...a little stressed out.”

“Oh, why is that?”

“In the middle of a heat wave in the middle of a pandemic,
and my fridge breaks down.”

He chuckles back.

It broke down last Wednesday, and for the next two days,
I played Internet tag with a repair company;
(I hate not being able to talk to a real person)
date and time not available
date and time not available
until finally with a desperate email,
I made contact with the actual repairman.
All to no avail, the fridge was too far gone.

And so here I am on day seven.
My son and I have been eating out of a camping cooler,
with small amounts of food, strategically bought,
to go with the daily ice from Petro-Can.

Last night, I had had enough, and with new fridge coming,
we ordered pizza.

Given a window of between 1:30 and 5:30,
I wait and wait and wait...
At 6pm I phone the company.

“You’re 12th on the list, and the boys are just delivering 10,
won’t be long, sir.”

Finally at 8 pm, the truck pulls up.
First things first, the old fridge has to be removed.

As soon as I start talking to them, all of us wearing face masks,
I quickly realize they speak French, with only broken English.

Rusty as it is,
I pull out my second language from the memory vault,
from my days in the federal civil service,
never completely bilingual, speaking enough to get by,
seven years since I’ve really had to use it.

And so with my broken French,
we are able to establish what has to be done,
it all ending with a signature.

Turns out the poor buggers had to drive all the way from Montreal,
and then drive back,
once they’re finished their deliveries.

Although I’ve already payed for delivery,
I hand them a $20 bill for all their work and trouble,
with a much indebted, “Merci beaucoup!”


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07/24/2020

Posted on 07/24/2020
Copyright © 2024 Chris Sorrenti