poor don

I just had to share this funny story. Oh, how I wish I had photos to go along with it =)

Last night, after we returned home from the store, where Don bought some replacement bulbs for the lighted cross we put up each Christmas, he announces he's going to go and replace the bulbs. Dani and I were inside while Jake was out running errands.

What Danielle and I didn't know was that right after Don climbed onto the roof with the new bulbs, the ladder blew completely away from where it was standing, thus, stranding Don on the roof. Poor Don.

He says he pounded on the walls and the windows, but he was at the front of the house and we were in the back. After hearing Don's story, we did remember hearing some light pounding but figured it was coming from work that Don was, in our mind, doing. We had no idea that was the communication of a desperate man. Poor Don.

Don, realizing he didn't have his cell phone on him and the pounding wasn't getting our attention, started looking for another way down. The wind that blew the ladder down (narrowly missing one of our cars) was starting to make him shiver. Poor Don.

He thought about jumping (oh, I'm so glad he didn't take that option), but didn't think he would be able to clear the rocks to land on the grass. Poor Don. (It would have been a louder poor Don if he ended up with a broken leg or foot!)

He started trying to get someone's - anyone's - attention. A few cars drove down the street but the first couple didn't see him. But the third car slowed down and the driver rolled down his window... and yelled out, "Merry Christmas!" Evidently, he thought the shivering man on the roof of the house waving his arms frantically in the air was trying to wish him a happy holiday. After he returned the presumed greeting, he drove away. Poor Don.

He yelled at some far away neighbors, but they didn't hear him. He ended up just sitting down in a crook of the house, doing his best to stay warm. Poor Don.

But then he caught the attention of a neighbor that lived a couple houses away. The lady must have realized this poor, freezing man on the roof needed some help. She started making her way over... slowly... using her cane. Poor Don.

Just about the time she gets over to the house, Jake and his girlfriend drive up. The lady slowly made her way back to her home and Jake helped his dad get down from the roof. He and Hollee came in laughing and accusing Dani and me of leaving Don stranded, freezing, on the roof of the house. Don then came in, but he wasn't laughing.

Poor Don. It took him a while to warm up and get to a place where he could look back at his experience and see the humor in it. He claims he's not getting back on the roof, but I bet he will. Someone has to take down the cross. I just think he'll make sure he has his cell phone in his pocket.