Often simple jobs get complicated very fast. Sometimes you run into unexpected problems, such as trouble with parts or tools, previous repairs that have been done, or a DIY gone wrong. They can become frustrating and take longer than anticipated, and usually the homeowner who attempted the repair is unhappy with my being there while their spouse or partner who called me in is glad to see me.
This was one of those jobs...
*****
I was not sure what to expect when I arrived at the older bungalow to fix a small leak under the kitchen sink. The woman on the phone had told me her husband had attempted to fix it but had no success, and after waiting for him to look at it again she had called me to take a look.
I arrived at nine Saturday morning and waited for someone to answer the door. When it finally opened, I was greeted by a heavy-set man in his fifties, with grey hair, a long, messy beard and a scowl on his face.
"Hi, I'm here about the leak at the kitchen sink," I announced. "I was asked to come this morning."
"Yeah," he snorted. "My old lady called you. Guess she got tired of nagging me to fix it."
"Uh, I guess so," I shrugged.
"Come in, I'll get her."
He turned away and yelled up the stairway. "Ginny, your plumber is here!"
I closed the door behind me and waited in the entry as he eyed me up.
"You licensed?" he asked grumpily.
"Yeah, plumbing and electrical," I answered.
"Good. I ain't paying for some yahoo to do this stuff."
He opened the closet door and pulled out a leather jacket, putting it on before pointing to the kitchen.
"You can go look; she'll be here in a minute."
He pulled on a set of black boots and yelled up the stairs again. "I'm leaving!"
"You be back by lunch, or we will be late!" the voice from upstairs replied.
"Yeah, yeah," he replied as he opened the door and looked at me. "You married?"
"No."
"Smart bastard. Stay that way," he grumbled. "Just fix it, I'm tired of hearing about it."
He stepped out the door and closed it before I could respond. I slipped my shoes off and went to the kitchen, putting my tool pouch on the floor and kneeling down in front of the sink to take a look when the loud and recognizable sound of a Harley filled the air. A moment of rupp rupp rupp was followed by the crackling roar as he peeled off down the street.
"Do you like bikes?" the voice behind me asked.
I stood up and turned around before answering.
"Yes, I do, but I'm more of a car guy. I'm J. I assume you are Ginny?"
"You assume correctly," she replied with a smile.
Ginny looked younger than him. Her hair was wrapped up in a towel and she wore a thick, fluffy white robe and matching slippers.
"So, it leaks under the sink here?" I confirmed and gestured to the cabinet door.
"Yes. Fucking water on the floor all the time," she complained. "He tried to fix it, but it leaks worse now than before."
I kneeled down and opened the doors to see what was going on while Ginny filled a big mug with coffee and sat in the chair by the table.
"It's a mess under there now," she added.
She was right. The pipes had been twisted, mangled, glued, and taped into a contorted mess of entwined snakes. I lay down on the floor and looked up, seeing the sink handle gasket split and the water feed lines connected to the wrong inlets, and shook my head. There were no shut off valves on the lines either, just green corrosion around the solder joints of the copper pipes. I slid out and stood up.
"Well, I recommend pulling the sink and replacing the seals, the water lines, adding shut off valves and new drain piping underneath."
"Okay," she shrugged while sipping on the giant mug.
"I need to get some things so I will be back in about an hour," I advised.
"I'll be here,' she replied with a smile.
I returned with the parts I needed to find Ginny still in her robe. The towel was gone, her newly colored hair hanging loosely above her shoulders. She returned to her seat at the table, crossing her shapely legs and exposing them as the robe draped away, and picked up a spoon. She tapped the bowl in front of her and gave me a smile.
"Want some ice cream?" she asked.
"No, thanks," I chuckled.
"French Vanilla, with fresh strawberries," she teased. "Sooo good."
"I'm sure. Maybe later," I replied.
She shrugged, put the spoon in her mouth, and slowly slurped the ice cream off, smacking her lips together before giving me a coy smile. I asked if she knew where the water shut off was and she directed me to a room by the back door entrance. I found the main valve and turned the water off.
"You won't have any water for a while," I informed her. "Sorry."
"That's fine," she replied while taking another scoop from the bowl. "I'm in no hurry."
The sink trap and pipes came out, followed by the water lines, drain tube and the sink. As I worked Ginny sat and watched, sipping on the big mug after pushing away the empty bowl. I glanced her way now and then, catching her watching me intently and seeing a little more of her leg and upper thigh each time. The robe was slowly revealing more each time she crossed her legs, and she was making no attempt to cover up.
"Oh, did I mention I have a new tap set for the sink?" she asked.
"No, but now would be the time to put it in," I answered with a chuckle.
She stood up and put her hand on my shoulder, running her fingers across my back as she passed by.
"I'll get it for you."