Love, As Always, Pete

The Weekly Letters, by A. Pedersen Wood

October 4, 1989

Dear Everyone:

About Tuesday we started getting messages on my phone machine at home from some lawyer, as well as the reporting firm, up in Portland about a transcript that she just had to have.  It seems that some woman fell off her stool at Penney’s and decided to sue (typical American).

 The lawyer took a deposition back at the beginning of August but (typical lawyer) did not order a transcript at the time.  Instead, she waited until she had a court date of this Monday (10/2/89), then called for a transcript last Tuesday.  Ordinarily, it would be extremely annoying to the court reporter, but possible to crank out the transcript in less than a week (actually, she wanted it by last Thursday).

 However, the court reporter in this case was “Jeannie”, who wasn’t even in the state at the time.  She was down here, and her computer, disks and printer were all in Canby.  There was no way that she could produce the transcript without going up to Oregon to do it.  Add to that the fact that she wasn’t sure her printer would work unless she could find someone on the West Coast who could sell her a toner cartridge for it.

As to how she would get up there, I suggested flying; but she didn’t want to go to that expense, even though it would be 100% (tax deductible) business.

 This left driving.  “Jeannie” had originally planned to return to Canby next weekend, to arrange to have her belongings moved to California, before attending a convention in Canada on the 14th.  After the convention, she was going to stop in Canby again to collect her computer, printer and cat (none of which she would trust to the movers) and bring them back down to California.

 The lawyer/transcript business meant that she would have to leave a week earlier.  That might not have been too bad except that she was going to be driving my car!  That little 2-seat CRX won’t hold a computer and a printer and a cat.  Also, it’s a long drive and my car has cruise control.  In fact, it was my idea for her to take my car.

But that was before she started murmuring about wanting to stay to supervise the movers loading up her things before moving them down the beginning of next month.  This would mean that I would be without my car for a solid month.  Granted I would have her car to get around in (provided she remembered to leave me with a key).

Have you ever driven, or ridden, in a CRX?  It’s a “sports” car, which means that you are required to drive (or ride) lying on your back.  It’s difficult to get in and out of, and there’s no place to put the groceries.  Lest you think that I hate “Jeannie’s” car, let me assure you that the feeling is mutual:  She hates my car, too.  Except for the cruise control and the tape player that works.  And the extra room for the computer, printer and cat.

So you can imagine my joy last Friday when I got home and the message on the phone machine was that the case had been settled and a transcript was no longer necessary.  This allows more time to think things through and plan better.  “Jeannie” will still use my car, but I can be sure of getting a key to her CRX before she leaves.  And I have time to argue the pros of having Mother supervise the movers in3 weeks. 

I did wonder which side “won” the case, but “Jeannie” said (typical court reporter):  “Who CARES?!!!”

 So, instead of driving up to Oregon, “Jeannie” stayed down here and we went to a “Going Out Of Business” sale and bought 3 Chinese rugs.  One for the dining room (“Jeannie’s”), one for the living room (mine) and one for the entry way (also mine).  “Jeannie’s” retailed for $3800 and she got it for $650.  Mine started out a combined $1864 and I got them both for $700 plus tax.  One way to look at it is:  The little rug in then entry way retailed for $369 and I paid $15 for it.  My kind of bargain.

The saleswoman said they would be open until the 15th, in case we wanted to come back for more.  Knowing that “Jeannie” already got the best of the bunch (a beautiful dark blue), I will try to control my MasterCard.

Other than that, not much is happening.  My office is on tumble dry, getting ready for, and presenting “IDHS”… but this is nothing new.

 I’m thinking of washing the windows in my condo this weekend, if the weather is amenable.  I’ve lived there for over two year, it’s about time I cleaned them.

 

Love, as always,

Pete

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