Meet the Contractors

This month, we had a contractor come visit our house to give us a “ball park” figure on adding an upstairs bathroom. Never having done this before, I didn’t quite know what to expect. I expected the worst.

I imagined that as soon as he came in, the contractor would take in our disordered living room at a glance. Stained rug in need of vacuuming, stained sofa with stuffing coming out the bottom, he would get the picture. I imagined him comparing it to the grander (and cleaner) houses he’s worked at, thinking “how are they going to cough up the money for this?!”

On the contrary, he barely looked around. We all spent the first bit staring down at his sneakers, which he had taken off and tried to place on our doorstep. “No, please! Just leave then inside!” we insisted and pointed out the pile we already keep in our entryway.

We thought his gesture was a sort of polite safety precaution for COVID. I later found out that leaving shoes outside your house is an Asian custom (so maybe he picked up that habit from his Asian clients?) Whatever the reason, he went straight upstairs after this shoe dance to share his vision for the work we were planning.

The contractor, (I’ll call him João so I can use that cool tilde over the “a”), speaks English as a second language. He came to the U.S. from Brazil as an adult the same way my husband did from Argentina. This provided instant camaraderie for the two of them.

I liked João too, though. He looked me in the eye when I asked a question and included me in eye contact when my husband asked a question. I really appreciate this. Even if I have no idea what the car repair guy or the electrician or some other technician is talking about, it’s important to me to feel like part of the conversation.

I have my doubts that my great-grandparents’ general contractor included Eleanor too much in the conversation but I may be wrong! Take a look and judge for yourself. Below you’ll find Mr. Shafer (Peter) holding my grandmother, Marjorie. Doesn’t he look a bit like the walrus from “The Walrus and the Carpenter” in Disney’s version of Alice in Wonderland? Completely of another era.

Mr. Shafer is listed in the 1920 census as being born in New York and married to Minnie A. Shafer (also born in New York). They had a daughter Bertha (20) and Beatrice (9). Bertha later married a salesman named Harold Bonds and moved to New Jersey.

The strange thing is that the 1940 census lists Minnie and Beatrice as living with Bertha and Harold in Essex, New Jersey. Minnie is listed as a practice nurse and Beatrice as a stenographer.

I thought that maybe Mr. Shafer had died and that’s why they left but, in fact, I found a Middletown newspaper bit from July 1932 saying, “W.G. Tice has sold his modern home at 22 Oak Street to Peter Shafer, who will occupy it”. Did they split up? A mysterious mystery!

But there’s more! Below, you’ll find a shot of Mr. Crumley, painter. I had researched him as Harry F. Crumley, son of Charles and Eva F but I might be wrong about that.

There’s also Mr. Collins, seen here at work on the column. This was likely Otis Collins or Thomas D. Junior of 121 Linden Street. Thomas Senior was a lawyer and it seems like he made both sons work as painters in the summer. (Both sons were listed in the newspaper as making honor roll in June 1918).

The closing photo of the contractors for today shows how the children must have enjoyed the process of the home renovation. You can see Ferris up on one of the carpenter’s shoulders, Clara being held round the waist and Marjorie popping her head up from behind. I find this very telling, too, about how much of a small-town community Walkill must have felt like then.

There is a closeness between the workers and their employers that seems rare nowadays. I mean, he’s a nice guy, but the idea of João holding my baby or propping a kid on his shoulders for a picture is completely laughable.

I hope you had a good March and that you are on your way to vaccination and a semi-normal life again! I have not been able to get an appointment yet but am excited that the age bracket has finally opened up.

How are your gardens coming along? I planted some daffodil bulbs last year all over the yard and it has been so much fun to see where they’ve sprouted. Who said nothing good came out of 2020? Big hugs to you all.