Trip down memory lane

I got a call today from a referral that scheduled a small job (Living Rm and Sofa) for tomorrow morning. The name was familiar, but I couldn't place it nor recognized the voice.

It drove me crazy as I was certain that I knew the name....then it hit me. It was my old track coach from the 6th grade! It has been about 35 years since I heard that name, so the guy must be in his late 70's by now.

Should be an interesting cleaning, I guess the world can really be a small place.

I think I will wear a whistle and tell him to run laps for a change.

Wow, I wonder is will remember you?

I am wondering the same thing actually. He clearly didn't on the phone, but he may have later just like I did.

I wasn't a very good runner, but my older brother was amazing (4.2 40 yd on grass at 13 yrs old). His biggest downfall was that he would often slow down towards the finish to let his rivals catch up in order to make it a more exciting finish. He did it once too often and got beat at State....he developed a hole in his hip bone the next Summer and never raced any more.

I bet he ends up remembering my brother before he does me, but I guess I will find out. Heck, I actually thought he died a decade ago.

Pretty cool.

Cool, hopefully you have the same good experience like I've had.................

I got a call from a guy about 10 years ago, and didn't think anything of setting the appt. with "Mr. Hogan" and when I got there he and I immediately recognized each other at first sight, after 20 or so years.

"Mr. Hogan" was one of my 10th grade teachers, and had called me because my last name sounded familiar, and I've been working for him yearly ever since.

I would bet that he remembers my only attempt at running hurdles, if he remembers anything.

I was a tall kid of mostly legs and no torso, so coach thought that I was the perfect guy to run the hurdles. Being built like a spider, it made good sense, but reality was harsh.

I was entered into the event at the last minute after our normal hurdler got sick. I had only taken a couple of passes at it in practice a week prior to the meet, so I was not experienced at all.

The gun went off and I raced down the track. I hit every hurdle down the track, didn't clear any of them cleanly. It was a miracle that I didn't end up on my face let alone finish.

Coach walked over to me, placed his hand on my shoulder while shaking his head. Then he sighed and said "You would have been faster if you just tried to run through them instead."

I know I never forgot that race.

I looked good on theory huh Mil.  My daughter did gymnastics for a few years and she did track this year. She was beating girls a lot taller than her. I think it was the timing she learned in gymnastics that made her fast on the hurdles

milspec6 wrote:

Coach walked over to me, placed his hand on my shoulder while shaking his head.  Then he sighed and said "You would have been faster if you just tried to run through them instead."

I know I never forgot that race.

Maybe he hasn't forgot either, and you guys can get a laugh out of it.

Hurdles are just tough.

My senior year, there was a girl that ran high hurdles at only 4'11" tall. She broke 3 records and won State in the event. I never could figure our how she did it.

At least I wasn't the worst ever.....

I think he had the right idea, although painful to watch.

Well, the meeting went really well.

Coach didn't recognize me when I arrived and even when I told him that we knew each other, I saw him mentally searching his brain for the answer.

He had lost his wife last month and decided to update the house to help get over the death. As part of the remodel, was the living room carpet that I was there to clean.

It was good carpet, very little soil, but it had several stains where his wife's chair sat....that was the main reason he wanted to clean the carpet. It looked like standard coffee stains to me and I told him it wouldn't be a problem.

He asked me about price, I told him zero. He was shocked and I told him that it was just an old friend trying to help. The room was only a 12x15 space and it didn't look like it would take any time, so I wanted to make the experience for him a good one considering the shrine of photos that I saw on his table. Getting rid of the stains would probably help him more than any thing.

I decided to use the "Soap Free" again since there wasn't much of a soil load anyway.....never again, but I will address that in the posting about that product.

Bottom line, the cleaning looked bad and I had to re-clean with what I had on the truck, which was "Dirt Chaser". The second cleaning looked really good except for one thing.....those stains.

Coffee remover...failed. OSR...failed. Peroxide...failed. Reducer...failed.

It was not bio-based, it had no odor, no stickiness, nothing. Just a stain that seemed to involve the entire fiber all the way down into the backing. The only thing that I was able to do was take a week solution of a color safe bleach and soak it down before extracting with a spot extractor. It at least softened it a little, but didn't remove it.

I was frustrated and told him that I was running out of ideas. I guess my mentioning the word "run" triggered a memory as he then blurted out "Kind of like tripping over hurdles, eh?" I did feel about the same way, failing to remove this stain right in front of Coach.

We had a nice chat for an hour before I loaded up. He tried to pay me anyway and we argued over it for awhile, but I wasn't changing my mind...especially with that stain still there. He did ask for some business cards and reminded me that he still knew a lot of people.

Three hours after leaving, I got 2 condo owners wanting cleanings that received a call from coach up the street. They are booked for next week and it looks like Coach is back to supporting his runners.

Wow that is great, and very generous of you to offer your service free!

Well, I didn't really give it away for free since he got me 2 jobs that I would not of had otherwise.

I wonder what the heck it was. It wasn't fiber damage? Maybe the wife had her walker there and it rubbed the carpet every time she got up. Or maybe its what I call the old man shuffle fiber damage.

Its pretty sad to back and clean for a customer and there significant other is gone. It happens every year for me. I recall cleaning for a customer whose husband had passed. I moved his recliner and found a a walnut. I was going to throw it away but she wanted to keep it. Dam that was sad but thats life.

If it was my old gymnastic coach that called me for a cleaning I would have done it for free too. Sounds like you made a cheer leader to

I will have to try and post the photo of the stain when the computer cooperates now that my email isn't linked to my phone.

It looked like a definite spill by the 3 inch circle and then about quarter-sized satellites beyond it, but it never released anything. My spotting towel was always white...zero transfer with anything. It was a dark tan color, but I struck out and just bleached it to a tint closer to the light beige of the carpet.

He was definitely struggling with the death of his wife, it was clear everywhere. I might have been the first person to visit in months and he certainly sounded like he wanted to help me get better established in his little town.

It turned out well.....except for that damn stain!

Thats a great story milspec. love helping people and it always comes back at ya.

Devon07 wrote:Thats a great story milspec. love helping people and it always comes back at ya.

Agreed, and it sure seems to have in this case.........good deal.

You want to know WHAT is more uncomfortable than going to clean for someone who just lost a spouse or child?
dang van fuel pump croking right there in the drive way. Done with job and can leave. And its 7 pm at night and family is starting to show up. Widowed husband offers to take a look under the hood.

Matt; My carpet cleaner wrote:Only thing worse than going to clean for someone who just lost a spouse or child; dang van fuel pump croking right there in the drive way. Done with job and can leave. And its 7 pm at night and family is starting to show up. Widowed husband offers to take a look under the hood.  

Ouch, often you can bang on the gas tank and get it running again as the fuel sloshes in the pump. It will only work a couple of times before the pump dies completely, but it can get you out of a bind.

Yeah that would suck Matt.