... to save a neighbor in need!
It's 12:45 a.m. and Pedro and I recently returned from helping a brand-new neighbor break into her house. Just as we were thinking about calling it a night, we heard a woman yelling insistently, "Ani! ANI!!" and clanging the metal gate with her keys. Pedro was the one who realized first that someone must be locked out. It turned out to be a lady who moved in only last week. Poor thing was at her wit's end!
We weren't sure what we could do, but I walked over and asked if my cell phone might help. The woman gratefully accepted and explained that she had been working late and her 14-year old daughter had fallen sound asleep waiting for her to come home. No amount of yelling or clanging would help; nor, as we found out, would numerous phone calls!
It was chilly and dark and I was running out of ideas when the woman asked if we had a ladder. Fortunately, we had yet to return Mark and Jenn's ladder, so Pedro carried it and our stepstool across the street. Much to his chagrin, I volunteered his services to be the one to climb over! (I probably should have volunteered myself, as my parents can attest that I found myself doing this trick many times as a teenager - but, I was in a skirt ... and, I haven't climbed over a gate in what, 15 years??)
The problem was not getting over but getting down on the other side. There was a small cement step, so we carefully passed the stepstool over and balanced it on there. Looking a little nervous, Pedro gingerly climbed up the ladder and swung his leg over. He had to carefully step down and rest that foot on top of the ladder on the other side (between the bars) and then even more carefully swing his other leg over and step down onto the stool. The woman and I held onto the ladder and stool for balance and voila! he made it. What a guy.
What next? The neighbor said her daughter was sleeping in the first floor bedroom, so she asked Pedro to go to the window and knock on it. Knock hard!! she urged, as Pedro was feeling quite sheepish and hoping he wouldn't scare this poor girl to death if she happened to see a strange man at her window!
Fortunately, this final tactic worked. The sleepy teenager stuck her head out of the door long enough to recognize her mother and buzz the gate open before hurrying back inside and out of sight. The new neighbor thanked us fervently and offered free haircutting services, as it turns out she is a hairdresser (and Pedro should really take her up on that offer right about now!)
We said our goodbyes and returned home with our ladder and stepstool, content in the fact that we had done a good deed. Pedro remarked that he had been thinking we should stop by and welcome them to the neighborhood, to which I replied: I think we just did!
Yet another adventure in the life of the Garcias2Chile. And now, Good night! :)
It's 12:45 a.m. and Pedro and I recently returned from helping a brand-new neighbor break into her house. Just as we were thinking about calling it a night, we heard a woman yelling insistently, "Ani! ANI!!" and clanging the metal gate with her keys. Pedro was the one who realized first that someone must be locked out. It turned out to be a lady who moved in only last week. Poor thing was at her wit's end!
We weren't sure what we could do, but I walked over and asked if my cell phone might help. The woman gratefully accepted and explained that she had been working late and her 14-year old daughter had fallen sound asleep waiting for her to come home. No amount of yelling or clanging would help; nor, as we found out, would numerous phone calls!
It was chilly and dark and I was running out of ideas when the woman asked if we had a ladder. Fortunately, we had yet to return Mark and Jenn's ladder, so Pedro carried it and our stepstool across the street. Much to his chagrin, I volunteered his services to be the one to climb over! (I probably should have volunteered myself, as my parents can attest that I found myself doing this trick many times as a teenager - but, I was in a skirt ... and, I haven't climbed over a gate in what, 15 years??)
The problem was not getting over but getting down on the other side. There was a small cement step, so we carefully passed the stepstool over and balanced it on there. Looking a little nervous, Pedro gingerly climbed up the ladder and swung his leg over. He had to carefully step down and rest that foot on top of the ladder on the other side (between the bars) and then even more carefully swing his other leg over and step down onto the stool. The woman and I held onto the ladder and stool for balance and voila! he made it. What a guy.
What next? The neighbor said her daughter was sleeping in the first floor bedroom, so she asked Pedro to go to the window and knock on it. Knock hard!! she urged, as Pedro was feeling quite sheepish and hoping he wouldn't scare this poor girl to death if she happened to see a strange man at her window!
Fortunately, this final tactic worked. The sleepy teenager stuck her head out of the door long enough to recognize her mother and buzz the gate open before hurrying back inside and out of sight. The new neighbor thanked us fervently and offered free haircutting services, as it turns out she is a hairdresser (and Pedro should really take her up on that offer right about now!)
We said our goodbyes and returned home with our ladder and stepstool, content in the fact that we had done a good deed. Pedro remarked that he had been thinking we should stop by and welcome them to the neighborhood, to which I replied: I think we just did!
Yet another adventure in the life of the Garcias2Chile. And now, Good night! :)
1 comment:
So exciting! I want to rescue someone with a ladder at 1:00 am. I think I am going to add it to my list of life goals : )!
I am making the salmon tonight so I will think of you again....
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