We had a very good cold snap hit the Pacific Northwest. Last Monday is when it hit, down in the low teens at night and would be in the twenties during the day. (cold for here, dam global warming) Now everybody here knows i take my woodcutting serious, i make sure i have plenty. Even though i only have a fireplace, most of the heat goes straight up the chimney, i think they say fireplace burning is 15% efficient, which seems about right because i burn a fair amount. But for me it only cost me my labor, so the electricity people don't get more of my money
Anyways i live in a apartment complex, and most of us tenants know each other somewhat. Well my work has been really busy so i've been working twelve’s (god i love overtime
) but when i get home on monday night, my daughter had a weird incident. One of the gals from one of the apartments knocked on the door and wanted to talk to me, but daughter said i was at work. So neighbor explains that they needed wood, and was wondering if i sold it. So daughter said she would relay the message. The gal proceeds and takes an arm load of wood with her
So when I got home from work I just didn’t care to deal with this because I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. Me and my wife are thinking the grasshopper story here fits. Anyways I was lazy this year and decided to do something different, besides I wanted to save the room. I was only bringing a truck load at a time. When I’d get below a half cord or so I’d go get another pickup load. (it’s all stored out at parents place) So I sent my boy over with 3 arm loads of wood to get them through the night.
Well it stayed below freezing all week and between my burning and giving to the neighbors all week my pile went fast. But still in ok shape but that uncomfortable feeling was knocking on the door.
My dad had wood to sell, but it’s not worth heating by fireplace, it’s not much more cost to just run electric heaters if you have to buy the wood! So I didn’t want to sell them wood because it’s a young couple and they have a new born. So I offer to get them pallet wood from work (which is really good wood) but the husband has to help me get it and help cut it up. Because I sure as hell wasn’t doing it all for them. But wanted to help them out.
So anyways they took me up on the offer and we took care of their wood situation.
Ok the reason behind this article was to more explain the emotions behind this, that I thought was interesting. I’ve asked for help in the past, which also I’ve helped others out in the past, but never really analyzed it. I think I’ve been pondering more like this because of Edi and Rain questioning things.
I was thinking after we got all the wood unloaded that they never offered me gas money, which I was going to turn down anyway. Because I can see they have it fairly tough. But reflecting back when I’ve been in that situation, when someone helped me out like this and I was broke. It was a very difficult situation, when the job was done. You say your thanks but there’s this empty feeling, so I know it’s sucks to be in there shoes.
But being the helper here gives me two different emotions that go back and forth. One it pisses me off that the put themselves in this situation, and cut into my winter supply of heat. It’s not like this couple is good friends so I don’t have that tie. With my friends it’s pretty much give my right arm or they give me there’s no questions asked! Then there’s the good feeling of helping them out, but mainly knowing what it’s like to be feeling these things that I am. (strange I know)
