I sat on my couch simultaneously wringing my hands and working from home this morning while a repairman sounded stumped by my non-working clothes washer which is in my basement.
Friday night I had dinner with friends. The topic of flooding came up with some of us sharing harrowing scenarios involving too much water, and it was mentioned that turning off the water to your washer when you’re not using it is economical. Next to my washer there is a sign above the water valve and crappy-but-functional sink which has been there since I bought my home. It reads “Shut off water when not in use”. I have never really paid attention to it. Inspired by the idea of being both economical and environmentally friendly, I shut it off on Saturday.
Monday I loaded up and started the machine forgetting I had shut the water off. Shortly thereafter an alert sounded from my washer and a few codes came up on the digital screen. I quickly remembered I’d shut the water off. So, I shut off the washer, turned the water back on (which made no type of “wooshing” sound indicating any type of water flow happening), and tried to run the washer again. It made a revving sound as it always does when it’s starting up, but the water never flowed.
I tried “rebooting” the machine which actually wouldn’t shut off at all, it just ran and ran as a red light blinked indicating that the door was locked and I would never get my clothes back so just give up already. I unplugged it and plugged it back in at which point it just jumped right back into its revving and blinking with no water flow. I unplugged it for longer, I let it “rev” for a longer period of time. Nothing.
I began to search online for a new washer as an hour went by and Leo the repairman was still trying to solve the problem, stopping only to argue with a client who was being rude to him “Ma’am, you need to treat people with more respect…” He later told me she just kept yelling at him and wouldn’t let him respond to her concerns. She had made an appointment for today, but thought it was yesterday. When he didn’t show yesterday, she cancelled (probably in a blind rage because her clothes are trapped int he washer). Then, she called today expecting him to come right away. “You know what happened,” I said when he relayed this to me, “when you didn’t show yesterday she cancelled and assumed she could find someone else to come today. But, she couldn’t find someone, so she’s scrambling and trying to get you to come again”
But before I learned about his rude customer, I was searching for a new washing machine and coming across the cost of the machine which I currently have and would be replacing. As I looked at what it would cost me, my daydream of landscaping my hopeless yard of dirt was slipping away.
“Excuse me!” Leo called from the basement and hour and a half before he arrived. I hustled down and he said something to the effect of “I tried to (blah blah I don’t speak electrical) and (more things I couldn’t follow until I heard) but it’s fixed”
I hugged a complete stranger when I realized that not only could I free my clothes from their hostage takeover, but I wouldn’t have to dump a ton of money into needlessly replacing my new machine, and deal with the stress that comes with all that – missing work, setting up delivery and so on.
Sometimes adulting is hard, and then I remember I can have ice cream for dinner if I want (Hey, I never claimed to always make good choices).
BEAN'S BABBLETORIUM 