I got a report from a meter reader late one Friday PM about an old woman
having to pee in pots because her power was off. The reader also said that
there was a pole down and the wires were low, but the customer had not
complained about not having power!
It was a wierd one and I needed an excuss to get my ass out of my desk job
anyway. I didn't want to wake up my crews on a Friday PM for nothing!
Off I went to check out this story.
Yep the lady lived on acreage and there was a pole down, and yep she had
been peeing in pots and dumping them because her water was running. (pump not
fed)
She was in her seventies, and there were flies everywhere and cardboard
boxes everywhere in the house. Elsie had been buying her groceries, putting
them in the refrigerator and wrapping them in newspaper to keep. She had been
cooking eggs over her candles!!!! Her fruit trees provided her apples as well.
I asked her how long her power had been off? 3 months, she replied.
Elsie said the next door neighbour business broke the pole off and knocked
the wires down. She said they didn't even say they were sorry!
It turns out that Elsie's nice children had sold her expensive property in
the city and moved her out to an investment in acreage (not much of one) in
the country. Elsie could not even open the boxes because of her arthritis! The
wonderful family of hers did not check in on her since they moved her in 4
months previously. She did not have a phone because it was pulled out as well!
She had paid her electric bill 2 times during this time by getting a ride
to town with a neighbour and never mentioned it because she didn't want to
complain to the power company about slow service! Elsie thought the neighbour
would report it.
After contacting the social services to assist Elsie, a contractor
donated the crews time to reset a pole and put the lights on! We researched
the neighbouring business to find out they were a slimmy bunch and nailed them
for monies already owing and costs of replacement, overtime and loss of
revenue!
Elsie gets checked on 4 times a month, the meter readers all know her! She
gets therapy for her arthritis, her boxes are all put away, and the house is
tidied up for the winter. Her children are still self centered money grabbers
but Elsie still thinks positive of them and the power company!
I reflect on how her generation made due with things without a complaint,
and I tell lots of people to go piss in a pot now, there are more positive
things going on!!!!