Death of a Hired Hand

It has been gray and dreary here these last few days with strong storms coming down from Alaska. Winter is the rainy season in Southern California. The rain reminds me of my "Repair Guy" Alex who died in an accident on the slick roads last winter. Like most homeowners, once you find a "Repair Guy" that is good, reliable, trustworthy, and knowledgeable, you are breathing easier knowing you have a partner to help with the things that inevitably break down. Alex was there to help ever since we bought our house twelve years ago. Alex nursed my old washing machine back to health and gently broke the news when it was time to let it go. He tuned up the furnace and easily diagnosed and fixed our tempermental refrigerator. We got to know each other through our intermittent visits to keep this 40 year old house running. He saw my kids get bigger and I learned about how he moved to the United States from the Ukraine twenty years ago and about his wife and son. We had a bond.

I didn't find out Alex had died until last summer when I called his office to schedule a repair. The man who answered the phone became choked up and told me that he was sorry he would have to send someone else out as Alex had been killed in an accident in the rain last winter. I burst into tears, the loss of this young man struck me so hard and I was overwhelmed for quite a few minutes. I apologized for my emotional outburst and expressed my sympathy for Alex's family and coworkers.

A friend who also had Alex as their repairman had a similar reaction as me upon learning of his death. I thought, "Gee, we were just customers of a serviceman. Why this level of emotion?" I realized that it's not the quantity of the relationship per se, but the quality. That this person and I had a genuine connection and caring, and like ripples in the water, it touched my heart and spirit. I think of Alex's wife and young son and how they must miss him. I am not ashamed to say I miss him, not because of his work, but because of who he was and how he treated me, kindly, patiently, and warmly.
Rest In Peace, Alexander. Thank you. (Отдых в мире, Alesander. Спасибо.)