The pandemic struck and people had
to stay home. Not everyone took this so seriously, however, there were others
who did but had to work because they were needed to work in hospitals,
supermarket and so many other jobs that were entitled the front-line jobs.
Working from home became a great
option for those who had the appropriate equipment and whose job allowed it.
More and more people started their home offices. Thank heavens for the internet
and the high technology we have nowadays. It is still sad though that so many
people do not fall into this category and are not only putting their lives at
risks but their families´, too.
Many people were also able to go to
their beach houses, farms, cottages in the mountains (as long as wi-fi was
available) or gather their family members under the same roof but keeping
physically distant from one another.
People were also using their homes
more, therefore they were starting to realize that updates needed to be made,
for example, walls painted, furniture changed and customized. They were not
aware that these simple tasks could bring on consequences, such as, make a lot
of noise or simply run out of the construction material due to lockdown or
simply running out of money.
Those working in the construction
business saw an opportunity in the crisis. Buildings were being put up faster
than you can count to 100 backwards. People were coming in and out of
residential buildings bringing in an overload on elevators and in the hallways.
For our character it was not any
different. She had decided to take the time off and remodel here apartment
while she stayed with the family down at their beach house. Hiring the best
carpenter in her neighborhood, she signed the contract and he said he would
have all the new built-ins put in in 30 days.
30 days came and went and there was
always an excuse of why there had been a delay; prices had gone up so he needed
more money; his children were not feeling well and he had to leave the shop to
take them to the doctor´s. Since, she was at the beach enjoying the hot
weather, she really didn´t mind right up until he asked for another 30 days.
Another 30 days she could not
accept, being with her sister´s family at the beach for such a long time was
not very healthy, their relationship would not survive another 30 days under
the same roof. So, she called the carpenter and asked him what was really going
on.
He did not answer her calls but sent
her written messages and audio messages. In the last message, he said that his
youngest of 4 was in the ICU because she had caught the covid-19. In fact, the
whole family had been infected. Her heart broke until he sent her a picture of
his covid-19 exam.
Saddened she showed it to her
brother-in-law, who looked at it suspiciously. “Hold on. I have seen this before”,
he said as he got up and went to get his cell phone. “Here. Look!” She couldn´t
believe her eyes. They carpenter had sent her a picture of the exam of the
mayor of a nearby city. It was identical.
She couldn´t believe it. The biggest problem here was that she had paid
him for most of the service and she needed the built-ins. To sue, would take
years for a settlement. She decided that she would hire a lawyer and write up a
contract that the carpenter had 30 more days to finish the job otherwise he would
have to pay a fine which he naturally couldn´t afford. The carpenter signed and
was grateful for her actions and sorry for what he had done. He had no excuse.
He was just desperate because he had spent all the money she had paid him and
didn´t have money to buy the material to make the built-ins. Now, how he was
going to resolve this was up to him. He had 30 days.
Written: September 8, 2020 (Based on real facts.)
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