That was entertaining

So, an internet-fixing guy had to come to my house again today (I now have internet, but am getting about a fifth of the speed I'm paying for), and I have to say, it was one of the more entertaining repair-person experiences I've ever had. In the half hour he was here, I learned his life story (hometown, time in the Navy, world travels, current home on two acres where he raises chickens and tends apple trees), his medical history, his favorite foods, how often he eats eggs (not counting when they're hidden, like in waffles), his opinions on several issues (wood stoves vs. furnaces, the merits of recycling, the state of the economy, whether people should be allowed to raise chickens in the city limits (touching on the historical ramifications of such rules in times like the Great Depression), his desire to see outsourced jobs brought back to the US, his disapproval of estate taxes, etc.), a brief history of the Baltimore rail system (which led to broader discussion of rail systems in general), his aspirations to live as much like a mountain man as he can, and an overview of the rawhide trade of California in the 1830s. And I'm sure I've left some of it out.

Whew.

Unfortunately, this man was not a good multi-tasker. So every time he spoke, he stopped what he was doing. You can see why this means he was at my house for half an hour instead of the thirty seconds it should have taken to test the line and say: "You're getting a great signal. It's .8mgs faster than you pay for, actually. Must be an issue with the wireless."

But he was so friendly and goodnatured with his chatter, that I couldn't help but be entertained by it. I wonder if the internet company knows that's why his jobs at each site take so long...

In other news: I have now officially volunteered to tutor junior high kids in reading once a week, in a nearby low-income neighborhood. My church helps run a youth center there. I'm looking forward to it as a way both to get out of the house and to get more involved with my church/city. I'll let you know how it goes. (And yes, all you mom-type people out there: I have a friendly ride with a fellow tutor to and from each week, so no scary walks or busses at night through sketchy neighborhoods. You may stop fretting.)