Romance Rewind: Electric
It was Jacob's first day on the job. He'd already managed to make one mistake, and he could tell his boss, and co-worker, and father, was contemplating whether or not it was a good idea to have...
It was Jacob’s first day on the job. He’d already managed to make one mistake, and he could tell his boss, and co-worker, and father, was contemplating whether or not it was a good idea to have hired him.
“It won’t happen again,” reassured Jacob. They pulled into the driveway of their next call, only a mile down the road from their first.
Jacob’s father let out a heavy sigh. His hands were still on the steering wheel as the work van idly purred in the driveway.
“I know it was an accident,” said his father. “I know you’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again. This is your second chance.” He pointed to the house through the windshield. “This lady has been a customer with my company for over twenty years. I used to work this house back when I was still working for someone else. When I branched off to start my own business, she was the first customer to call me.”
“Understood,” said Jacob. “This is an important one.”
“This is not only an important one,” said his father. “This is the most important one.”
The two men fetched their tools from the back of the van. This wasn’t Jacob’s first job. He’d worked every summer during high school at the local movie theater. He worked jobs all over the theater, from ticket taker to butter pumper (for popcorn), to usher.
After high school ended, he went to college, got a business degree, worked a desk job. By twenty-four he realized he didn’t like being within the walls of a cubicle each day. His father’s job, the business that kept a roof over his head as he grew up, seemed more and more ideal with each passing day.
Jacob’s father had four other employees, with each of them having their own work van. Someday, if Jacob managed to not make another mistake, he too would have his very own van.
Jacob rang the doorbell. He could hear someone stirring inside.
“She’s using a walker,” said his father. “We must be patient.”
No more than thirty seconds after Jacob rang the bell did the door open.
“Hello,” said Jacob. “Is Mrs. Palkon here?” Jacob raised an eyebrow and gave a slight smile. The woman standing in the doorway didn’t fit the description of Mrs. Palkon he was given. The woman in the doorway looked to be about Jacob’s age, with curly brown hair. She was wearing a white t-shirt under a pair of overalls. Only one of the straps of the overalls was attached.
“She’s inside,” said the mystery woman. “She said you’d be coming today.”
Jacob and his father stepped inside.
“Should we take our shoes off?” He looked from the mystery woman to his father and back again.
“You can leave them on,” said the mystery woman.
“Will do. I’m Jacob, by the way.”
“Heather.”
“Pleasure to meet you, Heather.”
“Likewise.”
“Come on, Jacob. The electrical box is in the basement.”
Jacob waved goodbye to Heather and followed his father.
“Don’t get any wise ideas.”
“What do you mean?” asked Jacob.
“Heather,” said his father. “She’s here every so often. Nice girl. The last thing we want to do is have you get all tangled up with her and then something happens.”
“Because you could lose a customer?”
“Exactly.”
“Isn’t a chance at love more important than that?”
Jacob’s father rolled his eyes. He inhaled and delivered another heavy sigh.
“You’re incorrigible,” said his father. He opened the electrical box. Another, maybe weighing so much as a ton, heavy sigh. “Mrs. Palkon warned me it would be bad. Apparently, her son-in-law thought he could fix things all on his own. I don’t know how much of a teaching moment I can make this for you. I’m going to be here a while. Why don’t you head upstairs and introduce yourself to Mrs. Palkon.”
“Will do.”
Jacob ascended the stairs. When he reached the top, he could hear Heather talking to someone.
“Hello?”
“Jacob, is that you? Come over here,” said Heather.
He made his way over to the living room to find Heather sitting beside someone on a brown leather couch.
“You must be Jacob,” said the stranger.
“And you must be Mrs. Palkon,” said Jacob.
“You’re too formal,” she replied. “Call me Peggy. Your father always insisted on being so formal, I haven’t corrected him over the years since when he was so young it seemed fitting. I suppose for you it’s best we break the habit now. Please, take a seat.”
Jacob joined them on the couch.
“What’s it like working for your dad?” asked Heather. “He seems like a nice guy.”
“He is, sometimes.” Jacob smirked. “This is my first day with him. I’m trying to get a feel for the job,” he turned his gaze to the floor, “and not screw up again.”
“Again?” asked Heather. “On your first day? What happened?”
“There was a small incident at the last house we were at,” he scratched the back of his head, “at least I thought it was a small incident.”
“What happened?” asked Peggy.
“It was a similar job to what we have going on here. My father claimed it wouldn’t be a good teachable moment this time around since it’s so complicated. I figured it was easier than it looked at the last house, and it looked easy enough. Flick some switches and bam, everything is back to normal.”
“You sound like my son-in-law,” said Peggy. She chuckled.
“Hopefully I’m in good company?” asked Jacob.
“You are,” assured Peggy. “He means well.”
“I did too,” replied Jacob. “I saw the box, and all the switches, at the last house we were at. I’ve done wonders with the one we have at home without any issues, but my father has that one labeled so well there isn’t much room for error. This other house had each switch color coded. Of course, my father has it all memorized, but I wasn’t sure which switch was which. I assumed they were in the same general locations as our box at home. Get the lights in the upstairs working again, that was our task. I flipped a couple switches and, well, suddenly none of the lights in the entire house were working. It was my intention to finish the job while my father was still talking to the client. Next thing I knew there was a flashlight shining in my face and I was told to go wait in the van.”
“These things happen,” said Peggy. “There’s nothing to worry about.”
Heather placed her hand on Jacob’s knee.
“Everyone makes mistake,” she said. “I’m sure your father will forgive you.”
“I know,” replied Jacob. “I just wish I could prove myself to him.”
Before either Peggy or Heather could respond the lights diminished. The small lamp Peggy was seemingly using to read, her book placed beside it, went dark. The light above the kitchen table, extinguished.
“I suppose it runs in the family,” said Peggy.
Jacob grinned.