Mrs Sandman & Sam Cooke. Just a tale about moving....

April 13th isn't a day that will life in infamy. Which doesn't hurt my feelings even a little. It was the drizzly day that Executive Movers came to the little Suman Apartment in Columbia.
Their arrival time was between 8-10am. I woke up at 6. Just to make sure everything was ready. All the i's were dotted and the t's were crossed...and that all the DO NOT MOVES were in central un-ignorable places.
Which happened to be our cabinet/pantry in the kitchen, and in the bedroom popout window area.

10:30 rolled around and there was a knock on the door. I opened it and there before me were 3 huge strapping men. "You need movin' right?" Clearly the littlest man of the trio was the boss.
I said "Yes." as they introduced themselves to me.
They burst into the apartment with the force of three tornadoes.
They collectively groaned when they saw the mounds of books.
"He don't lie when he say they had tons of books."
I felt almost like apologizing. Then stopped myself. Why should I apologize? We like books. End of story.
I chewed my lip as the littlest man ordered the biggest of the trio to bring up some "Three-oh's"
I'm not in the know when it comes to moving lingo.

When the big guy came up with the three-ohs that's when the mad dash packing race began. I said "I think...I'll just put the cats...uhm...in the other room for now."
Joe, the biggest of the three, and a cat-person said "Ah, now. They wouldn't scratch a fly. They cute little things."
I smiled and said "Yeah, but they get scared..."
So, I closed them into the spare bedroom...after chasing Allie into a corner to pick her up. She detests moving. So, I didn't want to risk her making a great escape.

The little guy took the kitchen, Joe decided to start on DVDS and Harvey took the bedroom. I stayed put in the living room on our "Colorful" sofa (Which Joe decided to call it that.)

I ended up putting the cats in their taxis when the movers kept going into the spare bedroom.
So, there we were, two cats and a red head sitting awkwardly on the edge of the sofa while 3 strange men busked through the apartment.

Joe decided he felt talky. I liked him immediately. He saw my buddha he said "So, oh lawd. You like these things too huh?"
I said "Which things?"
He said "Them fat buddhas. Lawd, my sister, she got a big ol white one. She say to errbody 'dontchu touch my buddha. I say 'i only rubbin that belly for luck.'"
I laughed and said "I think that's the biggest one my husband will tolerate."
He laughed and said "Wheeew"

Joe asked me where I was moving to, I told him to Germany.
He decided to sing "Change Gonna Come" from Sam Cooke to Jessie & Allie. Complete with hand
flourishes, the man was testifying.
Harvey was busy packing up my unmentionables, and truly, I didn't even think about it until after the fact.
Joe eyeballed Jezebel, my prized houseplant. He said "Mrs. Sandman?"
I said "Yeesss?" (Who could resist????)
He said "Whatchoo gone do with this flower?"
I said "Oh. her? My sister wants her....so...I guess she'll have a new home."
He said "oh. Yeah. I see."

I told the head honcho that lunch was on me, and asked what they liked on their pizzas. Pizza=cheap and more bang for the buck...
He informed me that they didn't like pizza. They'd had it so often. It was just boring to them. I thought...oh crap. They packed up the phone book. I don't know what else delivers. And I couldn't help but think...who gets choosey when it comes to free lunch?
Thankfully, my darling husband rushed in to save the day...all the way from Bamberg.

He called. I said "they...uhm...don't want pizza. they have it...uhm....too much."
He said "What? Uhm...okaaay."
I said "Yeah..." Trying to maintain my nice tone.
He said "What about...oh...uhm...what about Chinese? Do they want chinese?"
Head Honcho said "UH HUH! Yes!" to chinese. Even placing his order for "General Toe-Sew's Chicken. Wit Rice."
Harvey said he'd go for some chicken wings and rice.
Joe said "No. I don't eat chinese. They all the time eatin cat. but if they had chicken wings, I be ok with that. As long as they threw in rice."
My husband called and placed the order, and soon, chinese was en route to the suman abode.

About 5mins before our lunches came, so did two other movers. Actually, they were packers. Two ladies. Bettylyn who announced to the men that her husband was out of town. She was elderly and this cracked me up.
The other was a lady around my age, who I liked. She was chatty.
I told them lunch was en route, but I'd be happy to order some chinese for them, too. Bettylyn said she'd like an order of General Tee-Sews chicken. While the lady around my age wished for an order of peppersteak and rice.
She said "So, what will you do with your plant here?" Apparently Jezebel puts a spell on all who gaze into her hugeness.
I didn't have time to answer. Joe called from the dining room "No. Her sister been cryin' for it."

Which made me smile thinking of Lyns with a kleenex in her hand sobbing and begging me to give Jezebel to her.

Lunch arrived, and the delivery guy says "You move in?"
I said "No. Moving out."
He said "Ah. To where you move?"
I said "Germany."
He said "oooh Germany. You move to capitol city?"
I said "no...uhm...bamberg."
He said "That near capitol city?"
I said "No."
I also told him I'd see him in a few minutes, because more orders were placed. He bowed and said "See you soon, Ms. Lady."

When he returned bearing the Pepper steak, and general Tee-Sews chicken, he said "My sister she go to Germany."
I said "Oh! really? Did she like it?"
he nodded over-the-toply "Yes. Like it berry much"
I tipped him...again. He bowed and said "Tank you ms. lady have good aaaaventures in germany."

I told Joe to make sure he got some Egg Rolls, since there were over 12 of them on the counter.
He said "No thank ya Ms. San-mun. I don't be eatin them. You never know if they gone have some cat in them."

The movers stayed until 6:15pm. they left only the do not moves in the bedroom.
The headhoncho took cokes for the road, and all the left over egg rolls.
Joe, Harvey and the ladies also helped themselves to more soda and some bottled waters.

My voice echoed in the now empty apartment as I told Jessie & Allie they were free to explore our furinture-less apartment.
I went to the PX for a pillow and a blanket...

When I got home, I opened the DO NOT MOVE cabinet pantry door to help myself to a treat. Only to discover, that Head Honcho had indeed packed up our food. To include...my opened loaf of Whole Wheat Bread. Some Opened boxes of Life Cereal & Oatmeal Squares Cereal, some Egg noodles and various other foodies....

I grimaced imagining how furry that food will look when I see it again.....