I Say Yes, Yes We Are

Friday night:  I cleared out everything in one third of the basement, and Gary put together one half of one set of shelves. Though I tried to help, I couldn't wrestle the metal beams together the way he did.

Saturday: We both hurt a good deal. We agreed we should take three months cleaning up the basement. So, that new timeline gives us until the end of March. Wait - March is his Birthday Month. Well, end of April then.

Sunday morning: Gary got out of bed, stood up, and his back went out.

So, then we had this conversation.

Gary: I should NEVER have put together those shelves without wearing my back brace. I am an idiot. What was I thinking?

Me: I was at the end of my strength yesterday toting all that stuff upstairs, and I barely made a dent in the pile. I think it's clear we need to hire this out.

Gary: NO.

Me: Angie's list seems to always have deals on man hours of labor. We could just -

Gary: NO.

Me: Why on earth not?

Gary: BECAUSE WE ARE NOT PATHETIC.

Gary doesn't realize it, but he said that while gripping his cane, all bound up in two back braces like the Michelin Man.

Later on I began comparing him to Mom. In addition to denying his infirmities, he was pulling a very Mom move: using his cane to drag a heavy piece of furniture across the floor while insisting he didn't want any help. SO Mom. QUELLE Mom.

I suppose I could subcontract out my part of the work on the downlow. I am happy to admit I am pathetic.

Comments

[Becs]

I so hear you. During Hurricane Irene, I was actually trying to bail out a 850 sq ft basement that was half way up my calves. I looked at the bucket, the water, myself, and said, this is not worth dying for. Later learned that a guy my age tried doing the same thing and yep, he croaked.

That fatefully brought Diego into my life.

Yeah, it used to annoy the hell out of me when my mom was hopping around on one crutch or no crutch at all, doing something I would happily have done for her. (Eye roll like a 16 year old.)

[Erin]

When I moved on Saturday it was the first time we'd hired people to come unload the truck for us. My friend have come to help before, but then there's pressure for you to be working too, because they're there. Not so much with the hired guys--I worked on putting things together and sorting boxes to the correct rooms while they hauled in all the tough stuff. It was the easiest move ever.

So, yeah, hire it out. Besides, other people need the work--right? Help the local economy!

[Hattie]

Terry is willing to get help on things now, but it has been a long process. One way around it is to get friends to help, because two old guys can do a job that one young guy can, and they can save their pride that way and also male bond with beers afterwards.

[Zayrina]

Santa is more patheticer than Gary. His back is done in presently and he is being a real man about it. (Wuss) I love him but he is on my last nerve with his behavior.

[TheQueen]

Becs - I think the difference is that Mom would just do it, Gary says "LOOK AT ME DOING THIS"
Erin - We've never had other people move us, but we made sure other people moved Mom's stuff to Dave's. Hm. I've got the nunber for the GotJunk people. I mioght just have them do "my part."
Hattie - Gary has no friends. He did have to ask for help at work today. So, no beers.
Zayrina - At least today Gary didn't punctuate the evening with random screams like he did over the weekend. I'd be more sympathetic if he tried to get more muscle relaxants.