Sometimes Impatience is a Virtue

The first house in Chetumal didn’t work out so well. It’s a learning curve we are on. The arrangements were made, deposits were paid, lots of conversations in Spanish between Bigness and the house owner. Si!Si!Si! And 3 weeks later when we arrived, nothing had been done. NOTHING. No water or electricity turned on, no yard cleaned, broken windows, dead cockroaches everywhere. I think I heard WTF uttered about 10,000 times that day. I decided I could deal with this, since My Little Monster (Bigness) was about to blow his top. So he left to go live in the middle of the party (back to Caye Caulker) until things straightened themselves out. We did actually have water though, it was in the form of a 100 gallon cistern on the top of the house, which meant that I could at least flush the toilet and take a quick shower.

So basically, for the next 3 days I became a mall rat, biding my time, waiting for the electrician to come and check the wiring in the house so that the electricity could be turned on and the meter installed. I was the consummate browser, sashaying through the aisles in CHEDRAUI. Hours were spent comparison shopping for sandwich rolls. In the larger stores they pretty much leave you alone, and actually I’ve found that the clerks kinda run or scoot around the corner when they see me coming. I guess they feel like my Spanish assaults them. But I am digressing.

I was staying in the house rather than at a hotel, and just dealing with the camper’s dilemma of what to do after dark and no electricity. I guess that’s what they invented movie theatres for. The electrician did show up 2 days later, and what an entrance he made. I had cleaned the house and had started purchasing furniture. All of this was exhausting especially since I couldn’t watch Oprah on TV while doing it. So I had just taken a shower and lay down on the newly delivered bed nekkid. This electrician must have a 2nd job as a cat burglar. I never heard him coming. Needless to say, my life is so predictable. I was walked in on, and to my surprise he didn’t seem to notice that I was sans attire. Maybe this is something he’s used to, walking on big fat white ladies reclined and probably snoring. Anyhow, I’m sure I blushed as I grabbed for the sheet and scurried into the bathroom to dress, although I don’t know why I bothered. The clothing was for me, not for him, something to do with my self esteem I guess. He just went about his business checking outlets, and light sockets, because he had run a line directly from the pole into the house (down the metal fence – didn’t look so safe to me), let there be light. Now all we need is water to flush the toilet, glass for some windows, etc. etc. Bigness came back the next day in time for the 100 gallon cistern to deplete and to the announcement that “The electrician saw my tits and I think my ass too.”. WTF was uttered about another 10,000 times and I thought he was going to throw himself down on the ground and have a screaming fit. All of the cooing and petting in world wasn’t going to make My Little Monster settle down.

So that was when impatience became a virtue. Across the street and over 2 houses was a sign “House for Rent” I hadn’t noticed it before. We went over and peeped through the street side access window (complete with burglar bars and chicken wire) into the inner courtyard. There was no though of going closer because a 10’ high fence (with spikes on top) and a metal privacy gate kept you out. So he called the phone number and the lady came right over. We moved in the same day.

I would have stuck it out at the other house, but I’m so glad now that Impatience is a Virtue with My Little Monster. The new house is still in our budget, but its so much nicer with air conditioning in the bedroom, cable TV, ceiling fans in all the rooms, ceramic tile, water heater, intercom from the kitchen to the front gate, and a covered verandah in the back where I have my studio.

I feel content.