There are fools, and there are fools, and I am one of these! And all this because I have with time became just a wee bit hard of hearing, and not only that, I have also lost my ability to extinguish words when on the phone,
When Irma, my eldest and Karel, her Belgian hubby moved to Belgium, they didn't sell their house, hoping to come back one day, but in the end they decided to sell, as they want to buy a house over there. So one morning Irma phoned, and asked me whether I could go and remove the furniture that was still inside, only a few pieces, and store it, as they would like to ship it over to Belgium later. The house had been sold, and the new owners wanted to start renovating, so Louise, my friend, said that she would take me, as she has a small truck, and Johan, another friend who lives just around the corner from Irma, said we could store the stuff with him. All good and well. But what I did not know was that the new owners had brought some tools and a ladder, and also some plumbing pipes, with the result that I thought everything belonged to my kids!
I gave to the neigbour's son, who came to help load, a few things, but decided to take the ladder to my house, thinking that it was Karel's.
A few days later Johan phoned, but with my hearing problems, and Johan's kind of mumbling talk, I only heard something about a ladder, but did not take much notice. Then Johan arrived for a visit, and he said that he would take the ladder to the new people, as they needed it badly. I was up in arms immediately, and said no, they could have it after Jan had fixed my roof! Johan left with a few snorts, and rolling eyeballs, and I thought, 'what a bally cheek!'
Then on Sunday my granddaughter Kristani came to visit with her hubby and baby, and she asked whether I had given back the ladder. I sat up straight, ready for battle! Told her that I would lend them the ladder when I am good and ready, and Kristani burst out laughing, and told me through some heavy outbursts that the ladder belonged to the new owners, and they had been to see her, and asked her to try and get the ladder away from me!
Oh good heavens! I phoned them on the spot, and begged a thousand pardons, and explained all, and luckily they saw the funny in the situation, and laughed too.
Kristani then fixed my voicemail that went a bit haywire, and I listened with a very red face to the guy's pleading with
me to please give back their ladder!!!