when life is messy

When I arrived  the road behind my house was barely passable due to a big mud hole, the whole road was full of water, they did have a rain just before I got here. 2 weeks passed and it didn't dry up, clearly a different problem. I keep thinking "why doesn't someone fix this". 

"why doesn't someone fix this?".

One day I am doing laundry and the water starts coming out of the drain, not how a drain is supposed to work from my experience. I explain to my housemate about my little problem, he nods his head with a sad smile and points to the muddy street. "we have a little problem there" he says. "we?" I ask. "yes, we" he smiles." Turns out that's our  laundry and dish water out there in the street. How embarrassing, thinking of all the times I've thought "someone should fix that".

"ok, what do we do, let's fix it". "We are waiting for my brother come to come home, this is his problem too, and he will know what to do" he says. His brother lives next door and we share this drainage pipe. His tuna boat hasn't come in yet.

The day after the poor man comes home he is told of "our" problem, no rest for him, shovels and picks and hoses are gathered. He's been at sea for 3 months, I'm sure he has other things he would rather be doing.

House mate says "all is good, brother will do the hard work, I will buy the new pipe", it's a good deal for us he says. I agree and want to share in the cost.

The street is closed off today and brother is up to his knees in muck digging and chipping away, little brother is standing by and running around the village on his motorbike gathering whatever needs gathering....another hose to siphon water, a bigger hose to siphon water, a bigger shovel, a sharper machete (nothing gets done here without a machete), cold drinks and then for a while he just stands by in his clean shorts and chats with brother, but he is a good brother and soon picks up a spade and helps. Around 1 pm he asks me "what time do you want to go to bed tonight?".  They are anticipating working until late. "don't worry about me, it looks like I am getting the best deal of all".  "Why don't we just make a swimming pool ?" I ask.

Blocking the road off makes everyone curious, soon there are a few spectators and a few experts I imagine. I have faith the brothers know what they are doing.

Seeing 2 brothers working side by side makes me smile, seeing them working side by side and chatting  all the while makes me smile even more.

Soon I smell cooking, of course......the mother showed up, there will be food soon. Life is good, even when it's messy.