Dryer repair

The dryer repairman just left. He was one of the strangest people I've ever encountered, and I used to work in mental health. Apparently, he's been working in dryer repair for 34 years and that might explain his eccentricity.

I'm not sure I can adequately describe the fellow's weirdness. When I opened the door, he stood on the threshold and held out his hand, "Hello," he said, speaking quickly, "I'm [insert name here]. I just want you to know who's entering your home. Thank you so much for inviting me in." He then wiped his feet furiously on my welcome mat. I'm a little surprised that he didn't produce sparks.

He referred to me as "my friend" over and over. "Well, my friend, if you'll show me where your dryer is, my friend, I'll get started, my friend." I showed him where the dryer is, and sure enough, he got to work. He continued his narration as he got underway, "My friend, I'm going to put a quilt on the floor, my friend, so I don't cause any damage to your floor, my friend." And, true to his word, he did put a quilt on the floor and got to work - after he suited up with knee pads and fingerless, knit gloves that looked a bit like leg warmers on his arms. With his back brace belt thing, he looked like he'd prepared for quite a battle with my dryer.

He soon discovered that the new drum was more warped than the old one. He explained all of this to me, looking at me through the dryer drum that he'd lifted off the floor. "You see, my friend, it's oblong. Look here, my friend, it's longer across here than here, my friend." He confirmed that I wanted the drum-of-lesser-warp put back in the dryer, sealing the deal with an "amen." So, he reshaped the old drum and put the dryer back together.

After a few more "amens" and "my friends", he left, leaving me with good wishes for me, my home, and my family as he went out the door. He was a pleasant sort and seemed to know his way around laundry appliances. In the end, the dryer is quieter and shouldn't bang any more. If it does, I can call and have "my amen-ing friend" come back.