High Maintenance

Another amazing work this organization does is Grace House, a low rent apartment complex for people living with HIV/AIDS. These clients were much better at keeping foreign objects of their toilets, but nevertheless there was still an occasional clog. And some people may have had second thoughts about working on the toilet of an AIDS patient, but growing up in the 90’s, I learned that the only way a heterosexual can contract the virus is by playing professional basketball against an infected person, so I plunged away without fear.

In all seriousness, the clients at Grace House are some of my favorite people on Earth. Especially Ivan, a pony-tailed man who dressed like Hugh Hefner and would argue vehemently with me over the previous week’s American Idol results. I thought Ivan’s passion towards the show was a joke, until I plunged his toilet one day and found a Fantasia CD. Ivan and his fellow tenants taught me how to live life one day at a time, and though they lived in a neighborhood that I wouldn’t let my wife drive through, I enjoyed every minute I spent there. Besides, it was only for ten weeks.

On my last day I went by the main office to thank the man who had given me the job. I wanted to tell him how much I had enjoyed helping others, and how I felt I had made a difference in the lives of the sick and hopeless, and really just how great a person I was for doing what I did for ten weeks. In fact, I had planned an entire speech detailing my loving sacrifice, but I never got around to giving it.

“I just wanted to say thanks for letting me work here the past ten weeks,” I began.
“Chad, you didn’t need to come by, it was our pleasure. That’s the reason we are here, to help people in need.”
“I know,” I said, and I started the speech about my good works. “I just can’t tell you how much I -“
“Chad, don’t mention it, we were just glad we could help in your time of need.”

Then he slapped me on the back and walked off down the hall. I stood there, embarrassed that in my eagerness to talk about how much I’d helped others, I’d forgot someone else had been helping me the whole time. Perhaps this life changing experience hadn’t changed me as much as I’d though. Too bad it only lasted ten weeks.

(Disclaimer: The names of people and places have been changed because one of the forms I signed might have been a confidentiality agreement)