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Just Tell Me the Facts

My man called the contractor who is remodeling our condo yesterday morning to ask if anything could be done to speed up progress on our unit. It’s been ten months for a job that was estimated to take six.

The response was nothing. I mean he didn’t return the call and say “Sorry, nothing can be done. You know, hurricanes, family illness, etc.” He simply did not respond. It’s not the first time.

As I was putting clean sheets on the bed, I thought about this pattern of communication. The lack of it, that is.

Was the contractor’s answer to himself, “okay, I’ll see what I can do” and he just assumed we would know that was his intention? Or was he thinking, “why are you bugging me; I’ve got a lot on my plate and it’ll be done when it’s done?”

Either answer, spoken to us, would have been satisfactory I suppose. My guess is that the second response was the one he wanted to give us but thought better of it.

In my world, where communication is king, the lack of a response is totally unacceptable and cause for action of some kind.

Didn’t we all learn that lesson from the recent election? And what about those drones flying over New Jersey? Is fluoride in our water bad for us? And were Covid vaccines harmful?

People want answers and will make assumptions of the worst kind if they don’t get them. It’s human nature and the source of many of a conspiracy theory.

I have always operated better with information. I’m guessing most of us feel that way, especially when it comes to doing business with someone and then recommending them to future customers.

Me to the dentist: “Is that an abscess in my swollen red gums or do I have leukemia?”

The dentist laughs: “No leukemia but you do need a root canal.”

Okay, not the best of news but information I can handle. I can always deal with the facts, good or bad. The absence of facts drives me crazy.

Back to the condo. Fortunately, we do not live there, and so I suppose we could wait for another couple of months to have the appliances hooked up and the bricks on the lanai repaired and the electrical work done. I’ve already cancelled the furniture delivery twice after the contractor missed the completion dates he gave us several months ago.

My new white couch is not going anywhere near that condo until it is finished and the refrigerator is out of the dining room.

I’m not insensitive to delays and problems and demands from other customers. I’m particularly accommodating when it comes to family issues. I also understand that we have a place to live and finishing this little “getaway” is not a life, death, or homeless matter.

Still, it would be nice to know what’s going on. I can handle the truth. What I can’t tolerate is silence.

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