When hurricane Ike came ashore last Friday night and early Saturday morning here in Friendswood, Texas, it left town with part of my roof, and other minor damages to our property. I would have to say, besides the loss of power, A/C, cable TV and the internet, the worst seemed to be a section of our roof, that lost alot of shingles and felt; along with an Live Oak Tree I planted in the back corner of our backyard in memory of my Dad, who passed on back in October of 1995.
For days, I looked for assistance from anyone in putting a roof tarp up on the damaged section of the roof, and to somehow raise Dad’s Tree back up off the fence, that it came to rest on. Well today, after 6 days, I am very glad to say that help finally arrived in the form of Mr. Dale Jones, a good friend of of a good friend of mine, Jim Gerland, also of Friendswood.
Earlier today, I was updating Gerland about my predicament, and as well about his home here in Friendswood. He and his wife, Melody and family evacuated in front of Ike’s landfall, faster than the decision-makers on the evacuation situation could yell “GIT!”. In no time they had checked in at my favorite hotel in Austin. Ah, The Driskill Hotel, which was built in 1886 as the showplace of cattle baron Jesse Driskill, The Driskill still remains a landmark of Texas hospitality. As a member of The Historic Hotels of America and Associated Luxury Hotels International, The Driskill is among the world’s finest hotels, offering an elite level of luxury and service.
So anyway, while Jimbo and his fab wife, Mel were enjoying themselves in such luxury, with a wonderful roof over Jim’s head, here I sat, under a roof that threatened to turn into a shower-head with the next cloud-burst. Ok, I kinda drifted off the story-line…
Well I guess maybe he was pondering my desperate situation, (between bob-bons, & ice cream, yum, ice cold ice cream, hmm I can almost remember what that taste and felt like), and finally he said, ”Hey, give my old buddy Dale Jones a call…” ”I bet he can fix you right up on that roof problem”, so thats what I did, I gave Dale a call and he said something like, Sure thing, “I can fix you up this afternoon”. He then inquired about Jim and his family, and when they were expected back in town. I then found out that Dale had, “borrowed” his old buddy Jimbo’s super-dupper generator and needed to return it before the Gerland’s returned home.
Well, what do you know, but right when Dale said he and his crew would show up, there was a knock on the door and sure enough, there was that tall Texan, Dale Jones and his Calvary to save my day, well my roof at least. I tell ya what, in no time… in fact, faster than I could find my checkbook to write the payment, the Crew were through.
Oh… and that’s not all… as we were looking at the roof before the crew got started, I happened to mention that my Dad’s Tree had fallen down on a fence, just in a matter of fact way…
As soon as the crew climbed down from my roof, I started to finally write the check, but when I looked up to say thanks to Dale and his crew, they were no where to be seen out in front. Finally, I heard some voices in the back yard, and that was exactly where they had dissapeared to. I walked through my side fence into the back, and there they all were… they had all gathered around the tree, all working together to raise the Live Oak off the fence and back in the hole its root ball had pulled out of.
It was that fast, that quick, and they were all laughing the whole time! I was impressed by the men on the crew, their skill and their smiles as I just couldn’t stop thanking them enough.
I handed over the check for the roof, and started to write another for the tree work, and Dale said, “no thanks, that was on us… “ All I could do, was say thanks to everyone that had just helped me and my wife start healing from the minor wounds that Hurricane Ike had done to us.
Yes we were blessed with just minor damage, which in no way compares with so many here in SE Texas, yes indeed, we were blessed by our friends and neighbors that helped us in the aftermath. People like Rod, Joan, Charles, John, Amy and her husband, Ben, Pete and his wife Paula, Margie, Tom, and his wife Cindy and now Dale Jones and his roofing crew, yes truely blessed.
All my wife and I can say is, “Thanks so much for all of you that helped us”, and I do hope y’all know that we mean that, from the bottom of our hearts.
*Chuck, who works with Dale, just dropped off their estimate for a new roof, and it doesn’t look bad at all. Now I gotta run down to the Friendswood Hardware Store and get a few stakes and wire to secure Dad’s Tree a bit tighter and return the rope back to Dale.
As I finish up this Log, I feel a great load has lifted off my shoulders, thanks to my friends and neighbors, Thanks Y’all, and God Bless…
Stay Safe,
Cane
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