The Canada Chronicles--Plunger

So... in recording my adventures I have regretfully realized that I forgot to record the first. My apologies, and here it is:

Our hosts may very well be the cleanest people on this planet.They own more chemicals and more vacuum cleaners than anyone I am acquainted with, and they are assiduous in their use of them. However, they lack that most basic of cleaning supplies--the plunger.

We three summer missionaries found this out our second Tuesday here, in the most inconvenient fashion. It was about 11 pm. We had just finished watching The Four Feathers (I liked it), and had each consumed copious amounts of beverages, when Callie discovered our need for that most basic appliance all over the bathroom floor. We have one bathroom. Frankly, we all needed it. And there was no plunger anywhere.

We were faced with three options. a) Do nothing and die in a slow and terrible way b) walk up the road at night to the convenience store (Or the pub. Surrey is diverse in that way.) and ask for the washroom. We decided on c) going to our neighbor's, whom we knew only from the music we can hear through the wall, and asking to borrow the plunger.

CAllie, being brave, was appointed our fearless leader. The conversation was as follows:

(Callie knocks on the door. It opens to reveal a perplexed-looking, college-aged Canadian man with maple leaf shorts and spiky peroxide hair. An omen? Perhaps.)

CAllie: Hi!

CAnada boy (very confused): ...Hey...

Callie: Well, we're your neighbors.

(Canada Boy stares blankly)

CAllie: We're house sitting for Amin and Sepideh?

Canada Boy: ... Oh yeah?

Callie: yup.

Canada boy: THat's cool

Callie: Yeah, we're just working with some churches around the area (this is our spiel that we give to anyone we meet who's interested)

Canada boy: ok

Callie: Yeah... we were just...kinda wondering... do you guys have a plunger we could borrow?

(Canada boy is very amused and proceeds to laugh rather unnecessarily hard for a minute, but then catches his breath)

Caada boy: Yeah, sure (he is still laughing, but is at least trying to hide it now)

Callie (bravely): Thanks so much.

(THen, once we are on our way back)

CAllie: he was kinda cute!

(jenn has a small convulsion)

Jenn: no!! He's the PLUNGER MAN!!! NEVER!! Inappropriate response!

Me: I feel so dirty right now...


I don't remember much after that, aside from himlaughin some more and saying "Sure, anytime." We got the plunger back, and have since not looked him in the eye. at all.

I maintain it was a bonding experience. We are closer because of it. We also try not to speak of it in public.