A Tale of Two Seths

Occasionally, wires get crossed.

I'm slammed with last-minute wedding preparations but I felt I just had to dash by and tell you about something that happened yesterday.

Of course when one wakes up on Monday of wedding week, one's brain is instantly flooded with all the myriad and varied things that must still be accomplished before the day.

It's mostly all small stuff. But still.

As I was having my coffee, I was reminded that I had not yet reached out to Seth.

Seth is a longtime member of our church who is almost always in the sound booth during services.

When Erica got married I trusted Seth with everything to do with lighting and sound before and during the ceremony.

He is a prince of a man but to be honest, I almost never see him on Sunday except, he sings in the choir and I'll see him up there, but after that it's not likely that I will run into him.

A few weeks ago I spotted Seth in the sound booth up in the balcony just when the service concluded, and I quickly made my way up there (it's a long way). When I arrived, Seth had evaporated.

But I knew that I could always send Seth a text, because I had done that very thing last June when we celebrated our forty-fifth wedding anniversary.

(I'd sent him a picture of us on our wedding day, which was displayed with other salient information of interest to church members, on the screens at the front of our sanctuary.)

I was cheerful and upbeat.

So after I'd finished my coffee yesterday morning, I picked up my phone, located Seth in my contacts, and composed a text.

I apologized for being so late reaching out but I wondered if he would be on hand to manage the sound booth for our rehearsal on Thursday night (except, I wrote Friday night, which was wrong), and join us at the rehearsal dinner afterwards.

I explained that I was mortified at the oversight of not formally inviting him and his wife to the rehearsal dinner (because we did send custom invitations for that event), but I hoped he/they would be able to join us anyway.

I waited a few minutes and then came Seth's reply.

He said that he'd be gone this weekend. But he wanted to know what the event was for.

I replied, Audrey's wedding, and reminded him that he had told Audrey recently that his family would definitely be attending (they had not sent back their reply card so she asked him in person).

And then Seth told me that I had him mixed up with another Seth.

? ? ? ? ?

He identified himself as the contractor who did our bathroom.

? ? ? ? ?

First of all, we have had two bath remodels in recent years: the guest bath completed in December of 2021, and the master bath completed in April of 2023.

Our contractor for the first one was named Michael -- he's an old friend of TG's -- and he worked alone.

And then I was appropriately penitent.

Our contractor for the second one was named Art, and he did have helpers but not a one of them spoke English so I know there was not a Seth among them.

We have no more baths to remodel.

TG came into the room as I was digesting all of this and I asked him if he remembered a contractor named Seth who had worked in our house in recent years.

He looked at the ceiling but when he did not see the answer there (to be fair he did intone Seth. Seth. Seth. several times while glancing heavenward), and said no, that he remembered no contractor named Seth.

Well anyway I wrote to Contractor Seth and said oh dear, I meant to contact Seth at church who does our sound, and I thought he was the only Seth in my contacts! I just saw the name Seth and forged ahead.

He said, no worries lol.

I elaborated that my daughter was getting married on Friday so I was addlepated. I wished him a good week.

He did not respond to that and I imagine there was an eyeroll involved in there somewhere.

For which I cannot blame him.

THEN I had to ask TG for the contact info for Church Seth, which was for some reason NOT in my contacts although I texted with him only a few months ago.

All was made right in the end.

(It's obvious to me now, after having had more than twenty-four hours to reflect on my faux pas, that I failed to ADD Church Seth to my contacts when I texted with him in June.)

So my phone dinged and TG had shared the contact and I texted the proper Seth asking him to help us out on Thursday and join us for supper afterwards.

My request was longish because I tend to use one hundred-fifty words when ten would do (I'll thank you not to snicker), but Seth's reply (unlike my request) was to the point:

Yes, I can be there for that. What time?

Sighs of relief were breathed by moi as I hastily assured him that he is my hero (I'm sure he was looking for that validation on a Monday morning) and that we needed him at six o'clock on Thursday and of course he was welcome to bring his wife to the dinner.

He responded with a thumbs-up but said he wouldn't be able to stay for dinner.

I thanked him again profusely and that was that.

Can you believe? I had to go to the church yesterday to do some stuff and I told someone that story and she laughed so hard, I realized it was even funnier than I thought.

So I figured I'd share it with you before things get too hairy around here and you think I've forgotten all about you.

We're not just going around in circles.

Time now to go and finish up a bunch of little stuff and continue moving forward to our special event. Both Thursday and Friday will be all-day events in and of themselves, what with the decorating that must be done.

But we have lots of help and it will be exhilarating to see it all come together.

Everyone is excited. I will share much wedding news next week. Keep your powder dry.

And that is all for now except to say, God Bless America.

UPDATE: While doing something else after setting this post to go live at a certain time, I remembered who Contractor Seth is. Last January he gave us a bid on redoing our TV room flooring. We went with another contractor but I remember Contractor Seth as a jovial fellow so I'm sure there's no harm done.

As you were! xoxo

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Happy Tuesday

Comments

[Lori]

hahah...that is too funny. At least you figured out who contractor Seth is and the sound guy Seth can still be there. No harm no fowl.
I hope you all have a wonderful week and I know you all will enjoy the festivities so much. I can't wait to hear all about it.
Big hugs!

[Ginny Hartzler]

This is hilarious! I'm glad you finally got it all sorted out. I can't wait to see the wedding photos. WHERE did you get the long legged owl, I want to run out and buy one!!

[Carla TePaske]

Ha Ha.. a good way to start the week I would say. ;-) And giving us a good chuckle.
My Uncle Paul says "Keep Your Powder Dry" every time we depart from each other. LOVE IT!

Have a GREAT WEEK my dear Jenny!
xx oo
Carla

[Jennifer]

@Lori ... Yes it was quite a moment of levity. Poor Seth the Contractor! He must have thought his wife dropped the ball on their social calendar, hahaha! xoxo

@Ginny ... Girl I got him at Cracker Barrel! Isn't he the cutest? Go right over there and get you one! xoxo

@Carla ... Hahaha I love the expression keep your powder dry. Be ready for ALL eventualities! Stay tuned for many wedding pics and updates! xoxo