The Handyman, Part V

In honor of the Phoenix MS Walk the first weekend of November, I would like to share:

The Handyman, Part V

My mother loved her home and her home away from home and discussing them both. So Roy quickly became her favorite visitor. 

As a handyman, he had many of the same ideas and enjoyed talking to her about her planned projects.

By this time MS had taken her voice, so she could only softly whisper and click to communicate. 

For this reason we had given up our telephone conversations and instead our letter writing picked up. 

 I often heard about Roy through the letters my mother sent me. 

Roy, this amazing man who was willing to help her care for her home, seemed to be a regular visitor. Mother, even though in the nursing home, never forgot her other home. 

She often asked my father about things and remembered what needed to be taken care of.   

Now she had someone else she could talk to about the ready-to-leak roof, ready-to-rot back-steps and the way-out-of-date cabinets in the kitchen. 

She planned with Roy an entire makeover of the home where my father still resided. 

Father, of course, was less than enthusiastic. 

First, he was not one to enjoy disruption to his life; second, he was a bit nervous about how they would be able to afford such renovations. 

Mother had the answer: Roy would do the work for free! 

Now my father was even more skeptical. 

But Mother even more insistent.

Every time my father visited her, she’d ask about the house and if he’d called Roy. 

It was hard, if not impossible, to tell her ‘no.’ 

Finally Father caved. 

“Have him come by the house. I’ll talk to him,” Dad said exasperated.

My mother told Roy that her husband had finally come to his senses about the house and Roy could stop by. 

Dad had said Monday would be good. 

Mother made the arrangements and let my father know that Roy would be by Monday morning. Father waited all morning - no Roy. 

He had a good excuse, Mother said, but he could come by the following Thursday - again, no Roy. 

Dad decided to take matters into his own hands.