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DAVID BENTLEY'S WEEKLY COLUMN |
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THE AFTERMATH
It was 8:45 on a very cold night. I had worked all day long, eaten dinner with a couple of friends, and rehearsed a song for a wedding. I was exhausted and just wanted to take a hot bath and go to bed. So you can imagine how I felt when I put my key in the lock, turned it, and opened the door only to hear the sound of running water. Dashing to the kitchen and then to the bathroom, I quickly concluded that the problem was not in my half of the building. I grabbed a flashlight and checked the outside faucets. They were off. Mounting the front porch, I saw water flowing in a steady stream from under the door. When I looked in the window, the carpet was soaked. I jumped off the porch, ran to the water cutoff valve, and turned it. Then I called the director of the museum from which I rent my apartment. Soon the director, her husband, a board member, and I were busy with two tasks. We had to get the water up, and we had to move collections of books, newspapers and artifacts that were threatened by the water and humidity. Using boxes and wheel barrows, we were able to rescue the collections and move furniture in just under two hours. It took another hour for the director and her husband to vacuum most of the water up. The next day involved more vacuuming, pulling up carpet, running dehumidifiers, and replacing the water heater. The coming week will require many more volunteer hours as the museum gets put back together in time for the annual &qquot;Old Fashioned Holiday" celebration. So this Thanksgiving week I have much for which I am grateful. We saved a part of our community's history. My apartment was not damaged. And a hot bath never felt so good.
© 2004 David Bentley David Bentley, M.Ed. & Personal Coach, coaches clients through the game of life, helping them find balance, clarity of direction, and purpose in an ever-changing world. You may contact him at 360.378.8436 by e-mail at david@coachbentley.com or visit his Web site: www.coachbentley.com |
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