Plumber & His Wife

My friend Abby was the first to call in the morning. I had nothing more cheerful to report. The water was coming out of the drain in the laundry room since last night. It was looking serious. "Do you have a plumber's number that I can call?" I asked. "I do. But nobody would come today," she was no help there. So I called Yiga and got a few numbers from her Chinese newspaper. My do-it-all husband started doing it himself using a portable "snake" he has in his well-equipped tool collection. I picked up the phone and called the first number.

The guy said, "I am coming in 10 minutes." I was turning to the husband, who was quickly responding to the rescure, "Let him come, let him come." The guy ran in, checked the situation and ran out. I followed. Out with him from his van, came an elegant lady in mint coat and on high heel. "The plumber has a hot-looking wife," I called the husband out of the garage for speculation. "She needs a puppet in her arms to complete the picture," agreed Lui. They took the tools out of the case and within minutes, the job was done.

The couple came from China 3 years ago with their 20-year-old son who is now a university student. I know new Chinese immigrants at their age usually come to Canada with loads of money. But I don’t know any new Chinese immigrants who have gone into the plumbing business. I assume they came with money and picked up plumbing just to keep themselves busy. That would be such an interesting life! Or maybe I am only romanticizing life. In any case, they are efficient, hard-working and very decent. I liked them so I added $10 tip on top of cost for my appreciation. I would like to see them again one day -- not when we need their service again like today.