Last Friday I received a call from the Benicia Herald’s office on First Street that “a piece of U.S. Mail had arrived” for me c/o the Herald, and I could pick it up at my convenience. Hot Damn! What could it be? An offer to be published somewhere or with a second paper? A syndication? The possibilities ran through me like an unleashed freight train. OR, had I offended someone and their legal offices were offering to Clean My Clock if I persisted? Hmmm, the possibilities were staggering.
The hour was late afternoon by the time I checked my cellphone and got the message and the office hours for the Herald were over – I’d have to wait until Monday. The possibilities continued like a slow teapot simmering…the steam rising within my truck.
Monday morning, first thing I was at the Herald’s front door. The envelope was passed to me with “Fairfield Presbyterian Church” listed as the return address…what could it be? Inside, the letterhead read “in view of your tool theft reported in your earlier March column in the Herald,” the congregation of the church wanted to help with tool recoveries so here was a signed check for $150! Knock me down, turn me around and spin me like a top! Thank You, Congregation of the Fairfield Presbyterian Church! Outstanding! I was already immersed in recovery through purchases at Ace Hardware in Benicia and Home Depot in Vallejo, and Yippee, there still are benevolent resources on Planet Earth! I am so thankful! I went out to the truck and called the number on the letterhead. The office hours were the following day but I left a gushingly thankful voicemail that would probably make any Lily Tomlin on a switchboard from the 1950s, probably giggle with appreciation.
The purpose of that previous column was not to whine and complain about the blatant theft, but to serve as a Public Service Announcement: Be Aware! Park Defensively, Don’t be Vulnerable, park in well-illuminated areas and preferably in driveways in reverse, your vehicle of any content securely locked and as well-camouflaged as tired carrots!
My offer to the Presbyterians who will receive this column as an email when also submitted to the paper in a few hours, see also the attached, the March issue of “Taproot & Aniseweed,” my contribution to literacy and benevolence on the planet since 1987. And again, many, many thanks.
(Part 2 of “Pieces of Work” will continue next week.)

Peter Bray lives, writes, and works in Benicia
and has written this column since 2008.

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