The Good Day

The Good Day

The tingle up the back of the neck almost always comes first. There could be uneasiness, vague discomfort, but they are never personal, until that tingle up the back of the neck. Then it gets personal.

Suddenly it becomes about you and something. If it’s a known something that’s one thing. You can make plans. If it’s an unknown, that’s a horse of a different color, as they used to say. This one was the horse.

I’d come here to buy a second-hand carpet. One of those ads selling a carpet that looked really good and it was really cheap because they just wanted to get rid of it. It almost sounded as if the bigger desire was to get someone to haul it away more than to make money off it. The woman on the phone was delightful. But once I found the address, something didn’t seem right.

She had told me she’d be home all day, to come anytime, just watch out for her kids playing in the yard. And there was a dog, but he was very friendly. I told her I’d arrive around two. It was two on the dot. The house was quiet and seemed all shut up. Nobody in the yard, not even the dog.

Even walking up to the door, I heard nothing. No TV, no talking or kid’s noises. That’s when I got the tingle up the back of my neck. I almost turned and went back to my car, but then it was a woman with kids! I couldn’t just go. I had to know they were all right. I knocked softly on the door. Still nothing.

Taking a deep breath, I went all in and knocked loudly, very loudly. I was scared to death, but I was not leaving till I knew these people were all right!

Suddenly I heard noises. They got louder and louder, and finally the door opened and the whole family stood there, soaking wet!

In the chaos, the woman had forgotten all about me.

It seems a pipe had broken in the basement and everyone, including the dog, was down there cleaning up the wet mess! I was so relieved, I started laughing, rude, but I think they understood.

I actually went down and helped them finish (it was almost done) and ended up getting the carpet free! I’ve had it ever since, it’s perfect in my dining room. That was a good day, that was a very good day.