Wednesday, July 5, 2023

Skylands NJBG July 5, 2023

Tuesday, July 4, 2023

an essential service

On the morning of the third day

Worrying about our house going up in flames

Unable to get through on a holiday weekend 

I called yet another electrician's number 


Emilio called back and came right away

Speaking in a voice I instantly liked hearing 

Paired with Dave his helper ready to take care of us

Replacing the main suspect components


Not a simple problem to diagnose and fix

With unexpected scary weird symptoms

But these two determined what needed to be done 

Puzzling it out while answering my questions


Eight years since Emilio started as a helper 

Four years since he got his electrician license 

And four years these two have been amiable work partners 

As I take in the respect and affection between them 


Emilio lifts the neck of his tee shirt up to his nose

To wipe off drips of sweat as best as he can

Standing at the top of the ladder handling live wires

While I watch admiring him and his skills


Replacing the box by the meter was not enough

The entire breaker panel gets replaced too

Leaving us without power for seven hours

While they worked in the heat of a July day


I brought them water and thanked them

Seeing their clothes smeared with grime

Working on a day most people had off

Giving me a break not charging extra 


Now they are gone I miss their camaraderie

Such handsome young men with winning smiles

Who provide an essential service cheerfully

Happy to make an honest living 


I wish I had asked them if I could take their picture

For me but also to give to them to keep 

For the day when they are my age and look back

Proud of the work that they did

 

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