When I asked for his name, that’s how he gave it, patronymic first, as if answering a roll call. He’s an electrician. Over the months, we’re starting to develop a relationship.

This morning he showed up after the system shorted from top light bulb to last one downstairs, along with the fridge, the stove, the hot water heater, etc. The dog is going to have choice eats over the next few days.

As a temporary measure, Lopez Grégoire installed a separate breaker for those items most likely to be connected to the faulty whatever electricians call whatever it is. With instructions on how to proceed if the fridge stops working again. He’s in town all day, he said, and will come back at my first phone call (this is the point where we got so intimate as to share patronymics and first names too).

The good news: since there’s power again, I can charge up the phone in case I need to call. I can do that because, not only is there power, but Lassana remembered he’s the one who took off with the charger when his phone got low.

Things are looking up. Now, for a c-a-r-e-f-u-l exploration of the wooden boxes holding clothes under my bed after this morning’s third encounter with a large spider (this one, also a brown recluse) occurred in my bed. The spider went that-a-way (exit, stage right and under the bed). I exited left. pronto.

allez. August 2 2016.