JOY AND A HELPING HAND
I was doing a load of laundry the other day – I know, I know – astonishing, isn’t it? Anyway, I was standing there waiting for the water to fill so I could add and read the little sign on the washer lid that named the company I purchased the washer and drier from. That got me to thinking about that time way back then and I went in two directions of thought.
One, the washer and dryer are 23 years old. Twenty-three years. That is a long time for machines that have been abused as much as I’ve moved and used mine. That says a lot because I don’t think appliances last that long today. I’ve had no trouble with my appliances other than one washer part replacement and a battle with a neutron rat that ate the mesh out of the lint catcher in the dryer. But that’s another ramble.
Two, which is where this ramble is going today, is how I got that washer and dryer. I have left the store identification tags on both the washer and dryer all these years so that I never forget the man behind those appliances. I like pulling that memory out and remembering it every now and then. It is such a good story and still makes me smile to this day.
I was a single parent back then. Josh was 18 months old and I had to take our clothes to the laundry mat. You must understand, I hated, loathed and despised going to the laundry mat. Dad took care of laundry growing up and most of the time my brother and I had to go with him to the laundry mat. Who wants to go to the laundry mat when you could play outside? And it meant folding clothes and later ironing them. Ugh. I didn’t mind so much when I was a teenager because that was the ONLY way I got to drive the family car – taking family clothes to the laundry mat. In college, they had washer/dryers in the dorm – joy – but I dreamed.
I dreamed of someday owning my own washer and dryer. Boy did I dream of that. I imagined walking into my own laundry room and just tossing the clothes in whenever they were dirty and whenever I wanted to. I dreamed of not waiting until there were several loads piled up so I could go to the laundry mat once a week. To me that was the epitome of wealth and riches: my own washer and dryer. It was such a “far away into the someday future” goal that it wasn’t one I ever thought I really would accomplish.
So here I am, in 1984 in the middle of purchasing my first home – an FmHA home. Thank God for those homes – they were so much nicer than the apartments we’d been living in. I was reading the paper one morning on my break at work and I noticed an advertisement by Richard Hebert’s Maytag Home Appliance Center on Johnston Street in Lafayette, Louisiana stating that I could purchase a washer and dryer for $35 a month. Even I could afford that back then and the home came with the appliance hookup in its own closet off the kitchen.
I went to the appliance store and met Mr. Hebert. He was the nicest man but unfortunately, he had to run a credit check in order for someone to buy a washer and dryer for $35 a month. Appliances were around $250-300 apiece back then. To put things in perspective, I was clearing around $800-900 a month or so with a car note, house note, house and car insurance, etc. You get the picture. Those appliances were out of my price range.
I had no credit at all so I did not qualify. After telling me that, a miracle happened. He sat at his desk for a minute, deep in thought, then abruptly said, “Here’s what I am going to do for you.” Mr. Richard Hebert financed the washer and dryer from his store instead of through the credit company. He took a chance on me and I paid him that $35 for 18 months until the debt was paid off.
The day he delivered my washer and dryer was one of the most exciting days for me. I was actually going to walk in a dream I’d had for years. He told me how to take care of the machines so they would last for years. He explained about using automobile polish on them to keep them looking good (they still do) and protect from dings. He even explained how to deal with the dryer lint (hey, I was a rube and knew nothing about ownership). I couldn’t wait to do ONE load of laundry immediately. I was used to doing 4-5 loads at the laundry mat. You have no idea how much this meant to me, especially with a little boy whose favorite play toys were DIRT and MUD… and still are (smile).
I know most people can’t imagine getting excited over owning your own washer and dryer but most people didn’t grow up having to go to the laundry mat once a week for years… and years and years. And it really isn’t about getting to buy my very own washer and dryer which I still have. To this day, I still appreciate a washer and dryer in my home but this is about a man who took a chance on a single parent. It’s about a man who took a chance to help someone have a dream fulfilled.
I will never forget Mr. Richard Hebert and as far as I can tell, he still owns an appliance shop in Lafayette, Louisiana on Johnston Street. He was willing to give someone help when he didn’t have to.
And every time I do a load of laundry in my very own laundry room and see those tags, I am reminded of a man who gave me a chance. I am forever grateful to Mr. Richard Hebert.
Joy is someone giving a helping hand. Even better than that is becoming someone who is able to give a helping hand!
