Yes, Virginia, there are kind superheros!

Tuesday night, I called Tessa in a panic at 7:57pm to let her know that I wouldn’t be making the regular Indyish team meeting (which began at 8:00pm) due to fridge-related issues, the stress of dealing with movers, and complete and utter indebtedness to one very, very kind guy called David. Because I was so vague about the actual story and because I like to share my encounters with real-life just-plain-nice people, I will share the epic (well, two-day) tale with all bloggers and blog readers. But to avoid the cheesy sappiness I often spew out when arguing that yes, indeed, the world is filled with random acts of kindness (wasn’t that cheesy?), I present you with…

How to Obtain a Fridge, Lise-Style

Prerequisities:

1. Move apartments.
2. Ensure the apartment you and your lovely roomies choose does not come with a fridge or stove.
3. Be poor enough to rule out buying a new fridge, complete with delivery, from any appliance store.
4. Live for two or three weeks without a fridge to enhance your desperation.

Now, you may begin the simple XXX-step program.

1. Find ad for free fridge on Craigslist moments after it is posted to ensure you are the first to see it.

2. Call the number given and claim the fridge as yours.  (It’s helpful if the guy you are getting the fridge from needs to get rid of it that night as he is moving out the next day, because a moment’s notice is more fun than a week’s notice.)

3. Start getting numbers of moving services so the fridge can actually get from Little Italy to Mile End (or the neighbourhoods relevant to your situation).

4. Call a moving company and be told that they’re far too booked to be able to help you any time soon.

5. Repeat step 4 approximately ten times.

6. Finally reach a moving company that is available, and agree to meet at the guy’s (henceforth known as “David”) apartment at 6:45pm that day.

7. With enough time for the walk, head to David’s apartment, leaving your anxious roommates awaiting your return.

8. Get to David’s, be delighted with fridge, and sit down with iced tea to wait for the movers.

9. Sit awkwardly in David’s kitchen for an hour.

10. Call moving company. Be told that the movers were supposed to call you and tell you that they’re running late and are on their way from a move in Dorval. Expect them to arrive in half an hour.

11. Sit awkwardly in David’s kitchen for another hour.

12. Receive phone call from moving company. Test the limits of the expression “wide-eyed” as you are told that the truck is broken, at the garage, and the fridge-moving needs to be rescheduled.

13. Sheepishly ask David if you can reschedule, and when he suggests that he could come back tomorrow evening after his move, agree readily.

14. Schedule again with the moving company. Ensure both you and the guy you’re speaking to use the phrases “6:00pm sharp,” “on the dot,” and “I promise.”

Optional: You can choose what to do for the next twenty hours, but it’s best if you spend it dreaming and day-dreaming about your wonderful new fridge.

15. Congratulations! You’ve made it to Day 2. Unfortunately, it’s raining like crazy, so take a cab to David’s place this time, even though it’s a very short ride.

16.  Just as the cab driver is approaching your destination, receive a phone call from the moving company. Look for something to pummel as you are told that the movers are “really tired” and would like to reschedule.

17. Juggle your cell phone with one hand and your cab fare with the other while yelling something to the effect of “Look, there is no way we are going to reschedule. Was this move on the schedule? Yes? Well, then the movers can’t just back out like five minutes before they were supposed to arrive! This is one fridge. One lousy appliance. That’s it. And it’s from Little Italy to Mile End, not across town. Listen, I was really nice about rescheduling yesterday even though you made me wait for two hours before cancelling, not to mention the fact that you are inconveniencing the guy who is giving me the fridge, who has now moved and is coming back to this place solely so I can get the fridge! Do you hear me? This is happening tonight. Figure it out.”

18. Be sheepishly told that he’ll call you back in five minutes. Hang up and realize you’re not breathing from the shock of your vehemence and aggressiveness.

19. Enter David’s apartment, loudly proclaim “I hate my life!” and explain what’s going on. Be sure to say “I’m so sorry” after every sentence, because at this point you don’t feel anything you could do or give would truly make it up to him.

20. Receive phone call from the moving company. The head guy who started the small service is coming, but by himself, and he will need about half an hour to go get the truck from the too-tired movers.

21. Sit awkwardly in David’s apartment for an hour, though slightly less awkwardly than 24 hours ago as you know each other pretty well by now.

22. Jump up and down, cheer, dance, do whatever — but celebrate — when the (lone) mover actually arrives.

23. Realize that there is no way he will ever move this fridge by himself, especially as you are currently on the third floor of a triplex.

24. Become speechless as David, who has now had two evenings stolen, offers to help move the fridge.

25. Have about twelve heart attacks as the fridge is brought down the first set of stairs, which is at least indoors and dry.

26. Start reconnecting with your long-lost panic attacks as the fridge is brought down the outside stairs, in the rain, and there are several instances of slipping that bring you to cover your eyes with your hands, peeking only when absolutely necessary. For added effect, scream!

27. Remember how to breathe once truck is safely in the truck. Give your address to the mover and continue to thank David profusely as he drives you both to your place.

28. Run into your apartment yelling, “Clear the floors! There’s a fridge behind me!”

29. Quietly whisper to your roommates that one of the guys lugging that fridge up the stairs is a mover, while the other is the incredibly nice guy who is still giving you this fridge for free. Seriously.

30. Attempt to give David a bottle of wine as thanks, but when he refuses, promise him a beer someday as you now live in the same neighbourhood.

31. Be told by the mover that it’s half-price ($45), but give him $60, apologize for yelling, and thank him for not dying on the stairs as you slowly become able to speak in complete sentences again.

…so that’s how it goes, if you wish to replicate this experience. Rest assured that all of the above did actually happen (and that I’ve left much more out for the sake of condensing this tale)! Phew!

Do you have any examples of purely kind and generous individuals to share?