CLAY AND WATTLES

Monumental Saga Continues...

If things could get any quirkier about Mama's monument...

Steve called this morning and said the monument company told him we would owe $40 for delivery and $30 for set up fee or some such, unless we wanted to set it ourselves! What?! How does a family of middle-aged children set a 2-ton monument? And no one said anything about a delivery fee!

So I called and got Shanda, not Bonnie. Shanda repeated the phone number she had down for the "Pruitt family" and I said, "No, this is not the Pruitt family, but the Belk family." She had evidently (clue here) written the wrong contact number down on another family's paperwork. Okay, then I called Steve back and told him she said ours was all billed properly and no other amounts were due besides the balance that had been billed. Then I told him about his phone number switch-up and he immediately recognized the Pruitt name. "That's the son of the guy who rents this little travel trailer from me. He doesn't have a phone." Well, that's why Steve's number was on the Pruitt stuff - to contact the Mr. Pruitt. Only they didn't tell him that. I guess they assumed he was the Mr. Pruitt... So how the Pruitt name got into the mix is solved. Shanda had the right phone number, just not Mr. Pruitt.

So he called the monument company back to verify about when the monument would be delivered or whatever it was he called them for and to be sure to call him when they did get ready to take it out there. I had given Shanda and/or Bonnie Steve's number to call so he could be there when the monument was set, to be sure it was in the right place. Then I get another call from Steve and they have told him that the monument has already been set! No one called him ahead of time. They just did it. No family was there. They just took it and put in there...

He was going to check and see if indeed it is in the right place. I faxed to Bren's office the paperwork showing Mama's information (the drawing/proposal that was okayed), the quotation, the width measurement (24", not 20"!). Steve was going to pick that up and compare with what they have on the marker. I haven't paid the balance. I don't plan to until I'm absolutely sure everything is perfect on her marker and that it is where it's supposed to be. This has taken about three months to do and if I'd known, I would have used a local company, even if we had to pay extra shipping, and had it done in at least half the time without all the confusion and misunderstandings. I started to call Shanda back and ask why someone didn't notify Steve, but it's done and it would have done no good at this stage.

There is Pleasant Hill, which is actually the right cemetery, and I hope the right gravesite, and the right marker. I hope they didn't put Pruitt at Mama's gravesite by mistake.

Later...

Well, just talked to Steve. All seems to be okay - couple minor things; minor mind you - I was thinking the BELK would be facing the church, but they set it like all the others are set, with the BELK facing the grave, and all the info on the other side facing the church. That's the way Goobie and Papa's is, so... and I just didn't remember that! (Teri's is not like that - her info is on the side facing the grave - guess it depends on the cemetery tradition.) So anyway, then there's a foot marker, only it was at the head because I wondered if they'd have to dig up the little marker to set her monument, it was so close, and they did. But I didn't think it was Mama's 'cause I thought hers was at the FOOT. So Steve saw it dug up but didn't remember what letter it was, but is going to go see. If it's one of hers (she had 3 plots), and a "B" on her small markers, he's going to get it rather than let it lie there; someone will get it. I told him I would not tell Mama all this 'cause she would worry herself to death over it. We got a good laugh about that. That's what comes from not being there to do in person, plus of all the pictures I've made over the years of those graves, I could've sworn the single name would go on the side of the church. Seems backward to me, but it's okay, since they're all that way.