Handy Brad

Handy Brad

          Now that we’ve moved in and mostly gotten our stuff placed and staged and generally winnowed down to manageable proportions, there are several small projects that need doing that seem either a bit beyond our capabilities and that we don’t want to bother brother-in-law Jeff to do.  I would never undertake anything electronic in the house without first consulting Jeff, but I think it’s safe to say that he is perfectly content if we handle other small odd jobs ourselves.  So here we are up on our hill where we know a few of the neighbors, but we don’t want to bug them with too many Welcome Wagon questions.

          There is an app which is new to me, but which Kim has been using for some time in New York called Nextdoor.  Effectively what it does is forms community groups that can text one another with everything from lost dog alerts (I’m surprised how many of those come up) and “Who does everyone recommend for internet service?” and things like that.  I’ve not been a frequenter of chat rooms for twenty or more years so this all feels new to me, but I signed up.  I can define my community in a circumference sense, which is quite helpful because we are a bit spread out up here in what is called the North County.

          Kim and I decided we needed someone to install a big heavy wall mirror for us since it seemed like something that needed to be done right versus how I would probably have done it.  Usually these sorts of chores go to Kim by default, but I am trying to be more expansive in my portfolio of activities, so I decided to ping Nextdoor to see if anyone had any handyman suggestions.  This is strictly Angie’s List territory, but what the heck.  I got back three types of responses.  There were the people who tried to be helpful and suggested people.  There was one guy who is a contractor who offered to come over and look at it for me and give me advice on how to do it.  And there was Brad.

          Brad told me exactly what he would do and said he could come and do it.  I know some people are afraid to let unknown people into their houses, but I am either too dumb or too brave to worry about such things, so I told Brad to come on over this morning at 10am.  Kim called out to me and told me a truck had just driven up the driveway at 10am, so I went out to meet Brad.  Brad looked to be about my age or a few years younger.  He drove a shiny red pickup truck and was dressed the part of a handyman.  He was very polite, and I showed him the subject mirror.  He immediately whipped out his measuring tape and said he had picked up a 30” and a 36” wooden cleat so he decided the 36” one would do the job.  Brad brought his own tools and a mobile workbench which he set up in the driveway.  I plugged him in via the garage for power.  He then went about measuring and remeasuring as any good workman does. 

          Once Kim was dressed and introducing Cecil to Brad (Cecil was totally docile towards him, which is a testament to Brad’s peaceful demeanor), I hightailed it for my morning hot tub and figured I would survey the job once finished.  Brad had to go home to get another tool, but within two hours he had done a perfect job on the mirror.  Kim and I looked at each other and nodded, so we did what we had discussed if he seemed acceptable as our handyman, we showed him the place in the study where Kim wants shelves put up.  I’m sure I could handle shelves, but my guess is that Brad will do a job less likely to fall short of Kim’s expectations, so it’s all Brad’s.

          Brad told me he is from rural Pennsylvania, where he was a stone and granite technician (think countertops).  I immediately understood that he was salt of the earth.  He had moved out here into “Champagne Village”, which is the Lawrence Welk development at the base of our hill and next to I-15.  We haven’t done much down there but we see the small golf course and the rock fountain at the entrance.  It seems to be of the vintage of the Sun City developments from the 1960’s and my guess is that it is what one might call affordable retirement housing.  Brad’s comments implied that he very much liked the work because the folks down in Champagne Village were pikers and rather budget-conscious (a.k.a. cheap).

          He quickly agreed to make himself available to us for Kim’s shelves whenever they came in.  We then asked him what we owed him.  He said he had spent $4.27 on the wooden cleat and had spent two hours doing the job so it would be $44.27 if that was OK with us.  I tried not to look like I was rushing for my wallet, but I certainly was quick to take out $60 and tell him to keep the change. 

          Kim and I then sort of looked at each other and nodded again and I asked him if he could perhaps sand, prime and paint the Juliet Balcony railing off our Master Bedroom.  Brad said no problem.  Kim asked him if he could caulk and prep the guest bath after the glass doors were removed and before the new glass got put on.  Brad said, no problem.  I then reminded Kim that she wanted a work surface in the garage for her “craft center” and that perhaps Brad could help her get a granite slab for that and attach it to the table.  Brad took a look in the garage and said he could do that very easily for about $100.  We find ourselves in Handy Brad heaven.