I saw that!!!

Ahno and Porque volunteer all over town, babysit grandkids, do projects, have far too much fun saying what they think.

Category: Local life

Woohoo! New Vacuum!

Aug 08

2:40 PM

The old one didn’t work. And it wasn’t actually old. Just a victim of abuse. The man supposed to be working in our house used it for a last-minute tidy-time before we arrived, a job which involved sweeping up something big and sharp that severed the belt which turns the brushes. So although the motor ran briskly, nothing got picked up. I said, to Lydia, “We’ll get another one.” She said, “ Let’s just buy and install a new belt.” She bought what she thought was the right belt, but it didn’t fit. So still no vacuum. Next trip to town, I requested, “Please don’t come back without a new vacuum.” So there it was last night, all new in a box. Son-in-law Dan put it together and gave it a test run. Yay. Clean at last. Funny thing about items at the farm. Because of potential burglars, there’s this reluctance to put anything new here and leave it. Many years ago a bunch of awful people put a tiny child through the small basement window. That little boy let the rest of them in. They wrecked and ruined to their hearts’ content. They strewed peanut butter and flour together with sugar, jam, and soup all over furniture and floors. They ripped up blankets and sheets, tore open pillows. A go-get-em state policeman located the culprits but asked me not to prosecute, “He’s a Vietnam war vet who came back crazy and is barely holding his life and his family together. His wife is as crazy as he is and between them, the kids are in terrible shape, often cold and hungry, not dressed appropriately. All the neighbors around here feel sorry for them. Yes, they have a lot of your stuff at their house and I could get it back but, honestly, they need it.” Angry, I yelled, “Why should I feel sorry for people who made such a horrible mess and destroyed so much?” The policeman said, “Crazy. They’re crazy. I’ll arrest them if you like, but I just thought you might not want to go that way.” So I struggled down my rage. Friends helped to clean the house and repair major damage. Trying to put a positive spin on my feelings, I bought new coats and boots for those kids...didn't work; I was still mad. That’s been a long time ago, but since then I haven’t ever purchased new things for this place without thinking, “I suppose some pitiful nut will steal or bust it, but we need it right now, so, oh, well….”

View 2 comment(s) Link to post

ADVISORY: Users are solely responsible for opinions they post here and for following agreed-upon rules. Comments do not reflect the views or approval of The Virginian-Pilot or this Web site. Comments are automatically checked for inappropriate language, but readers might find some comments offensive or inaccurate. If you believe a comment violates our rules, click the "Report Violation" link below the comment to alert an editor. Repeat offenders will be denied automatic posting privileges.

Auction Vacuum

Submitted by oyvey on Fri, 08/22/2008 at 10:58 am.

Actually, I considered that on Saturday at the auction we attended. There were three old vacuums which, together, went for under ten dollars and the auctioneer said they all worked. I should have bought them.

report violation

Got To Be Kidding!

Submitted by carole59449 on Thu, 08/21/2008 at 3:07 pm.

If you were in VA, the cops would have prosecuted them anyway. Somebody should have made them clean up that mess. If they are breaking in peoples' houses, it's just a matter of time before they kill or hurt some hapless soul inside who tries to stop them while they're "being crazy". Daggone if I wouldn't sue the state or somebody if my relative ended up dead.
Next time get a vacuum at the swap meet-PA flea market.

report violation