THE ENGINE THAT COULD!

After reading the Grapes of Wrath, although an excellent piece of literature, left me feeling rather depressed, I decided to go for something much lighter.  The Ruth Rendell novel was both gripping and amusing, and although I have not read any of her work, I now have another favourite author.  However, finishing up on Saturday, left me with the dilemma of where to go next.  Admittedly, I limit my reading to weekends, and the odd evening, if I have time after a swim, but I usually read something deep followed by something either adventurous or light hearted.  Going back to another Steinbeck was probably not a good idea!  Of Mice and Men is a very famous title but I had no clue as to the content.  It was a short book, and when it started to rain and I only had a few small chapters left, I continued to read on my couch!

To say my mood was less than light on Sunday evening, would be an understatement.  Still remembering the harrowing circumstances of 'The Grapes', followed by the tragedy ending the short story I had just read, I longed for something to lift the mood.  The rain, despite needed, had caused havoc, and the State mourned.  The plight of Steinbeck's characters, perhaps, put things into perspective, or perhaps, brought truths home!

The little red engine is not so much an engine, but the housing to an engine that hobbles along our road each morning.  The truck, low to the ground, and as a person would be well into its senior years, chugs into our neighbourhood, and attempts to climb the hill to the top, where it is filled with articles needed for the days roofing project.  It wheezes along, and all I can hear is the children's tale, The Little Engine That Could!  "I think I can", hums from the exhaust, that with all it's might keeps from toughing the surface of the road.  Next comes the muscle car, that knows beyond any shadow of a doubt, it definitely can!  The muscle car is merely a form of transport (although perhaps merely is not a good word to use, and its owner would probably be very hurt to hear his pride and joy in the same paragraph, let alone sentence, as merely.  The variety of trucks and vehicles that follow differ from day to day, depending on the crew working.  The little red engine hobbled along at the beginning of the week.

Work was brutal!  An employee (not ours) in training, had been taught how to file a law suit.  However, he had not been told that when the writ is issued it needs to be married up with the petition, and sent to us.  Three months he has been filing petitions.  (Law suits.)  For about two months he has been watching the writs being issued.  It was not until status was being requested on several did the trainer realise that no one had told him of the process after filing.  Writ after writ was being emailed to us, and my 'inbox' was screaming like 'a woman in travail' to use a well known expression.  Each time I downloaded one project, another few popped in!  I knew, vaguely, how many to expect, which did not make it easier.  However, my generational sense of responsibility was activated, and I just got on with it.  Did I need a break?  Of course,  Did I take one? No!  It is not within my 'gen' to do so!  My understanding of the younger 'gen' is that I do not understand!  However, I digress, and my soapbox is getting old and is very well used, not unlike the little red engine!  

"How can I help?" I asked one of my neighbours, who had suffered during the storms.  The leaks had caused him to move out and live with his mother, which gave me an indication as to how bad were the leaks!  All I could do was offer.  I had nothing that he needed!  It was a reminder of 'The Grapes', and how those who had nothing were willing to share everything.  I said all I could offer was a bed, or extra towels, linen, etc.  A roof.  He thanked me, after telling me he was "happy for me" when I said that I did not have a leaking roof, or workmen stomping all over my condo.  I understood the sarcasm, and he understood the sentiment.  The feeling of helplessness was quite prevalent.  Thankfully, he had options; not because I did not want him to stay, but because he had other options!  

As the muscle car vroomed along, albeit as a tiger crawling on its belly, ready to pounce, I chatted to our maintenance man.  He has been a gem throughout the whole 'roofing' problem.  The little red engine wheezed its way up the hill.  "I think I can" gasped the exhaust!

We had one day without rain.  It appears that our lake has gone from thirty percent full, (which is rather empty,) to ninety percent full, with surrounding lakes being ninety eight percent full!  This happened all within two weeks!  The horrors of the tragedy are still not fully realised!

Our week progressed.  My daughter had asked if we could babysit on Friday, and I had agreed.  As the little one is no longer in a cot, my anxiety was quite high.  How did I keep him in the room if he decided to get up?  Putting a gate in front of the door was not an option as he has worked out how to 'work' it!  A contraption for the door handle was the answer.  "Put this on the door knob and he wont be able to open it" my daughter had said.  Much as I did not like to 'lock him in', it seemed like the only option.  I knew I would have my 'mum ears' on when he came to stay.  

Eventually, we came to Friday/  The red engine and muscle car, came into the complex.  The drivers waved.  It reminded me of my own plight with the new 'gen'.  The muscle car cannot understand why it can't go fast, and why it has to go into prowl mode, whilst the little engine coughs and splutters and does not die!  "Why doesn't it just quit?" says the muscle car.  "I think I can" says the red engine, and does!  I went into work, and gave it my all!  I left with a few things still left to do, which is most unlike me, but as the papers were 'not going anywhere' until Monday, it seemed prudent to maintain my sanity!  My grandson decided he needed his daddy, and was throwing a two year old tantrum.  Grandma took him by the hand and led him to the car.  By the time we left the car park, he was looking for a bear!  "We are going on a bear hunt, a bear hunt, a bear hunt" I repeated, and eventually he lost interest in the tantrum.  We found a train, a bike, a digger, a truck!  Now to get him into bed!

The door thing was brilliant.  It would have been more brilliant if brilliant grandma had put it on the inside of the door, rather than the outside.  The child was able to open the door at will.  I could not get into the room!  Sometimes I amaze myself!  Thankfully, I could just get my thumb and forefinger to work through the gap.  Even more thankful was I that my son-in-law had not realised my daughter had provided me with a 'lock' and put a spare in the bag!

I could not quite work out how to get the timer off the sound machine.  The train sound seemed to be what the little one wanted to hear.  It turned itself off every hour!  Eventually, I had no option but to send a message to the expert.  She came back immediately with a few options, together with, "Do you need me to pick him up".  I refused to give up!  I could do this!  Eventually, I worked out how to turn off the timer, and get the train sound!  It was now close to eleven, and I hoped he would go to sleep for the rest of the night.

Around two thirty, I heard a little cry.  It was not hysterical, nor particularly disturbing.  It was more of a moan.  I got up.  "Fix it. You need to fix it".  I had no idea.  Fix what?  It appears that the the quilt needed to be unraveled and placed strategically before sleep could be accomplished.  Apparently, I 'fixed it', and I went back to bed.  

Sleep was not meant to be, an I lay awake listening, before getting up to go for a swim earlier than I had anticipated.  I returned and decided to give everyone a treat.  Pancakes.  I do not 'do' American pancakes, but I did! 

The muscle car was not seen over the weekend and probably on a fast road, showing off its power, and making the most of its freedom  The little red engine was, no doubt, resting ready to try again on Monday!  I am going to try again on Monday.  Hopefully, the back of the project has been broken! Much as we enjoy breaking records, we are willing to let the record of last week stand for a while!  Maybe there will be more exciting things to happen in ............ another story!