MOVING THE POLE!

Several years ago my husband and I went to Hawaii to visit our daughter who lived there with her husband and their little daughter. My son-in-law is in the Navy and they were stationed there. They loved Hawaii and even though they were to be transferred to Jacksonville, FL for three years, I knew they would want to return to Hawaii as soon as they could choose their next duty station.

On the way home from Hawaii my husband and I discussed how we could support them in buying a home in Hawaii. We decided to buy an investment property on the island where we lived in Florida so we could build equity over a few years and later use that as a down payment for a house in Hawaii.

We found a tiny, old, run down duplex very near our home that we could afford. As we looked around the property we noticed that there was a huge power pole in the back yard only a foot away from the screened porch. It had a massive transformer at the top of the pole which dangled directly over the porch roof and made a loud buzzing noise.

I pointed out this invading giant pole to my husband and he grimaced and said, “Maybe we shouldn’t buy this place.” “Don’t worry,” I told him, “I’ll get it moved.”

The next door neighbor was peeking over the fence like Wilson on “Home Improvement.” He overheard me and chuckled as he said, “Lady, everyone who has ever owned that place has tried to get that pole moved and couldn’t do it.” “Ah,” I said, “but they just ‘tried’ -- I, on the other hand, have a Clear Intention; I’m moving the pole!”

I called the electric company and asked them, “Who moves poles?” “No one,” was their answer, “We don’t move poles.” “I understand,” I continued, “but I am moving a large power pole with a huge transformer on the top of it and I need help, so who should I talk to?” At this point they thought I was some crazy lady with a chain saw, so they quickly connected me with a guy in charge of poles; we’ll call him Willy.

I told Willy my problem and he responded, “We don’t move poles.” “I understand,” I continued, “but I am moving a large power pole with a huge transformer on top of it and I need help, it’s very heavy.” Willy came right over. We looked at the pole, discussed how its location was so incredibly inappropriate; I believe the prospect of advertising for tenants who may want experience “transformer cancer” came up too. Willy was very sympathetic and agreed that the pole never should have been put there -- but, he explained that because it had been there for over 20 years, the electric company had what was called “prescriptive rights” and they did not have to move it.

I acknowledged that I understood and accepted that Willy did not have the authority to move the pole but I knew that he was aware of the person who could get it moved. He nodded and told me to call the electric company on Monday and ask for his supervisor, Jim. “Great,” I said, “but let’s see if he is free right now -- what’s his cell number?”

“Jim,” I said, after reaching him on his cell, “I am here with Willy -- great guy, by the way -- and we have a big pole with a transformer on it and we need to move it, but we need your help; it’s heavy.” Jim was picturing Willy being held hostage by a crazy lady with a chain saw, he showed up fifteen minutes later. All three of us stared at the pole and finally Jim said, “OK, lady, we can move the pole, but you will need to pay for it.”

“Awesome! So we have established the fact that you CAN move it, great! But I’m not going to pay for it, so let’s keep thinking!” We all stared a little longer and suddenly, Jim pointed in the air at the wire coming from the buzzing transformer. “Lady, do you see that wire?” “Yes,” I said, excited at his breakthrough tone. “That wire goes to your neighbor Wilson’s house; we are not allowed to run a wire over your property to service another property! WE’RE MOVING THE POLE!” Jim exclaimed.

Jim “high fived” me, I “high fived” Willy, and Willy “high fived” Jim. Out of my clear intention, the electric company moved the pole; and out of my clear intention we gained enough equity in three years for my daughter and son-in-law to be able buy a townhouse on Oahu, big enough for the in-laws to visit, too.