Today’s word was “leading lines.” This photo is a cell phone shot taken in a tunnel as we drove into Pittsburgh. As we were nearing the city, we were assailed by pouring rain, so furious that the fastest windshield wiper speed could barely keep up. The tunnel provided a wonderful respite as the drenching had been going on for about 20 miles. Given that we were in town to move Liam’s belongings, it was quite merciful – and miraculous – that there was no rain on the other side of the tunnel, about a mile from our destination. Also merciful – and even more miraculous—is the fact that the vacuum cleaner, which was just lying out in the bed of the pickup truck, survived its drenching. In the wonderfully dry evening, we packed up everything in the apartment and took everything that was staying in town over to the new house. Then, we dined out at the exceptionally late hour of 10 pm! There are indeed advantages to city living. We returned to the apartment and lay quietly in the dark, all three of us awake for quite a while, but not one of us moving a muscle or making a sound.
The next morning we packed everything left onto the back of the truck and drove home. We left town about three hours ahead of schedule, much to the delight of Liam’s lessor (the apartment was a sublet), with whom we had had some phone negotiations on the drive into Pittsburgh. He had become somewhat hysterical. He claimed to be under the impression – all email evidence to the contrary – that Liam was moving out on Friday, which had entitled him to go to the landlord for a spare copy of the key and had actually started throwing out food and packing up Liam’s things. He was writing Liam text messages explaining that he had no choice. I said, I’m calling him. When we spoke on the phone, I, with excruciating politeness, laid out the facts that we were on our way into town with a truck and a vacuum, and that we were going to spend the night in the apartment. We would be done by noon the next day, I told him. Was that going to work for him? He assured me that it was and started making all sorts of silly excuses for his behavior. Not yet knowing that we would dine at 10 pm, I invited him to eat with us. He declined, which I certainly didn’t mind since he was a total stranger to all of us. It was interesting, however, that the invitation completely changed the tone of our conversation for the better. I think he might have been immensely relieved that we weren’t going to accuse him of breaking and entering or something like that. Later, when we took the bed apart, we figured out that he must have already started taking it apart, but hastily put in back together for our arrival.
In any event, he was delighted that we finished at 9 am, rather than noon. We were also quite delighted because, just as we finished unloading the truck at home, it began raining and did not stop for hours.
A great story to read and good that you were most courteous and polite! A much better outcome than putting your foot down! I can imagine the quiet in this tunnel too!
Great leading lines shot!