The SAPASMA Man

No, he's NOT like Tequila Man. This is the man who fixes the sewer line that runs through the property when problems occur. At least he always has been. Let me set the scene.

BEFORE I left on my trip and right after the "former" tenant moved out owing money, the sewer line backed up into my downstairs terrace.

The problem begins at the next door home of the family with more kids then I can count. In addition, I think she takes in laundry or else she just does laundry all day every day. In all the years I've been here, the owner of the next door house comes over when it is backing up in their house. He brings along this ancient man from SAPASMA which is the acronym for the water company. This ancient man always fixes the problem

Well this time the owner of the next door house, Jaime, was out of town and the woman of the house, Berta, didn't know what to do or how to get in touch with the old man. So, I prayed for a day or two that somehow the Universe would fix the problem. No such luck.......

As a last resort I called my landlord. Usually either he doesn't return the call or when he does show up it becomes a bigger problem then it was to begin with.........the latter is what happened.

Shockingly he came about an hour after I called after I told he and his wife that it was a "grande problema". When he arrived I showed him the problem and told him about the old man and how with this thing that looks like an umbrella without cloth, he fixes it every time.

Well, it was like talking to the wind. What did I know? So, landlord gets brother and about 15 other people over here and they do everything known to mankind besides digging up the gardens. Still no repair. I casually, after six hours, mentioned the "SAPASMA man" and about an hour later, somehow he appeared with his apparatus.

I grinned to myself. NOW I knew it would be fixed. He went to work with this tool that looks like rebar that he screws together to make it longer and longer and longer. Eventually, he is pushing and pushing and then he's through. It's fixed. I guess it is the forerunner of the snake apparatus used today. He gathers up his stuff and is through in about 45 minutes.

All these fifteen guys or more stood and watched in amazement. I watched through the bedroom window with glee. My hero, the SAPASMA Man!