Таинственная история Билли Миллигана

           Bymid-September,themix-uptimewasworsethanever,confusingeveryone.Allenwouldgototherentaloffice,pickuptheworkorder,drivetothejoblocationandwaitattheapartmentforTommytocomeanddothework.Butmoreandmorefrequently,Tommywouldn’tshowup.Noonecouldreachhimandnooneelsecouldhandlethejob.Allenknewthathehimselfcouldneverfigureouthowtodotheplumbingorheatingrepair.Andhewasafraidthatifhetouchedsomethingelectrical,hemightblowhisshoesoff.

           AllenwouldwaitaslongashecouldforTommytoshowup.Whenhedidn’tcome,Allenwouldleaveandsigntheworkorder"completed"orwritethattheapartmentdoorhadbeen"dead-locked,"whichmeantthathecouldn’tgetin.Butsometenantswouldcallbackthreeorfourtimestocomplainthattheworkhadn’tbeendone.Onceafterfourcallbacks,SharondecidedtodrivetotheapartmentwithBillytoseewhattheproblemwas.

           "ForGod’ssake,Bill,"shesaid,staringdownatthedishwasherthatwouldn’tfill."EvenIcanseehowtofixthat.You’resupposedtobeamaintenanceman.You’resupposedtorepairappliances."

           "Ididfixit.Irepairedthedrainline."

           "Well,that’sobviouslynotwheretheproblemis."

           Whenhedroppedheroffattherentaloffice,heknewshewasangrywithhim.Hesuspectedshewasgoingtohavehimfired.