Facing my past

Last Thursday morning when I rode my bike up to get the newspaper, I noticed that our sprinkler system wasn't running. I was not that alarmed since it has quit running once before, when the pipe to the pump down at the ditch became filled with debris. MFH promised to look at it in the evening.

After dinner, he went down to the pump and cleaned it out. He came back to the house and called me to turn on the system for a test run. Water began gushing out from under one very bloated spot in the sod in our yard. We appeared to have a broken water line.

My ex is the best sprinkler guy in town. He isn't the one that installed this system, but he does great work.

Now, we were married a long time ago. Our divorce was as amicable as a divorce can be. We've both moved on, though he never remarried, and we've seen each other on occasion. My little brother was his best friend and employee when he was alive. Even so, I didn't especially want to call him.

MFH insisted. "He's the best in town."

So I called, and left a lengthy explanation on his machine. I ended with "If you don't want to work on this system for all the obvious reasons, I will completely understand. If that is the case, would you be able to recommend someone else?"

He didn't call back that night and I figured he wasn't going to. I tried to call the guy who installed the system and ended up leaving him a message as well.

Friday afternoon when I returned from our picnic, we had a message from ex. He would be able to come on Monday and to let him know if that's okay.

MFH removed the sod and dirt from the area on Saturday and called him to let him know what the problem was and that Monday was good.

I have to leave for swimming lessons this afternoon. Between you and me, it would be just fine with me if he showed up while I was gone.