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Last month the utility department blessed us with a new meter reader.  In the past, I was used to seeing the meter reader park his/her vehicle at the end of the street and walk the route. Last month was different. I watched in amusement as the newbie drove down the street to each water meter and then  drove as close as possible, down  each driveway, to read the electricity and gas meters, even if it was a hundred yards or less away. I put cynicism aside and thought perhaps he may have a temporary injury which prevented him walking the route that day.  I was further aghast when he drove up our driveway, opened the gate to our fence (leaving it open) and walked across our patio, necessitating another gate opening to read the meter situated outside the fence. (Fifteen years ago, we installed a fence because of our dogs. The meter is situated outside the fenced in area. ) He’ll know next time I thought.

Today, one of my dogs was in the fenced yard and I heard him bark at something in the driveway. The meter reader was back. He didn’t appear to have any physical limitations.  Indeed he looked the epitome of fitness with his sweat band.

I pointed out to him that normally when there is a fence there may be a dog; that the meter was located outside the fenced area anyway and also that on the last occasion he had left the gate open.

“Didn’t see a dog last time.” he said as if that justified it all.

He appeared determined to cross my patio to read said meter. I advised him, politely, that he could walk around the perimeter of the fence and read the meter at the corner of the house. He did not need to come through the fence. He said he would make a note about this for next time.

Strange, because if he remembered not seeing a dog last month perhaps he might have remembered that the meter was outside the fenced area. I also wonder what he thought the huge water bowl outside the back door was used for– for washing feet perhaps.

Like the certainty of death and taxes, If you apply for a job as a meter reader of the following you can be assured: one – that there is walking involved; two – if someone has a fence with a gate – most are not merely for decoration; three- there may be dogs contained within said fence and four- even if the dogs don’t bite, the owner might. Until next month….

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