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How a Kind Plumber Flushed Edna's Troubles Away
 Knock, knock, knock.
Edna’s* face reddened with shame as she heard her neighbor’s footsteps coming to the door.
“You again, eh?” Julie, her good-natured neighbor shooed her inside. “You know where the bathroom is. Get to it.”
Edna scuttled into the hallway.
“I’m surprised that it has taken the plumber so long to get out to your place,” Julie commented in passing.
“Yeah . . . ” Edna avoided Julie’s eyes.
“He probably has a really long waiting list,” Julie added nonchalantly, making conversation.
“Uh-huh . . .” Redder than ever, Edna nodded hastily, ducked into the bathroom, and wondered what Julie would say if she knew the truth.
***
The truth was that Edna had never called the plumber, and she never would. She just didn’t have the cash.
Trying to save money, her first impulse had been to beg her grown-up son to fix the problem himself. He was willing to try but unfortunately had so few skills that after he left the problem was worse than before.
As Edna switched on the hair dryer, she gritted her teeth in annoyance. She hated being a bother. For three weeks now, she had been intruding on Julie so that she could shower, use the bathroom, and look presentable for work. So far, Julie had been kindness personified, but Edna feared her patience would soon run dry.
On top of it all, the plumbing situation was handicapping Edna financially. If she could only rent out her spare room, Edna would have no trouble paying the bills, but nobody was willing to rent a place without a functional bathroom.
“I don’t even want to live there!” Edna exclaimed in frustration. “Why would anybody else?”
“Edna—did you say something?” Julie knocked on the door inquiringly. “Are you okay? Is there anything I can help you with?”
“Maybe, but I doubt it,” Edna sighed, her heart too heavy to bear her burden in secret any longer. Swinging open the bathroom door, she let the whole story pour out.
***
Upon understanding Edna’s situation, Julie’s face had been filled with resolve.
“I’m making you an appointment at the Samaritan Center,” she said. “I’m sure they can help.”
And to Edna’s great shock and delight, they did. The Center connected Edna with a local plumbing company that volunteered their services through the Center, so Edna’s plumbing was repaired for free. Thus armed with a functional restroom, Edna was able to find tenants to help supplement her income so that she could pay her bills.
With new hope and a new attitude, the next morning she knocked on Julie’s door.
“Hey, stranger,” Julie smiled, greeting Edna with a hug and a wink. “Need to use the restroom?”
“No thanks,” Edna beamed. “I just wanted to say thank you and hello. If I need to use the restroom, I can just head home and use my own.”
*For confidentiality's sake, this individual's name has been changed.
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