This past Sunday evening just as I was about to go to bed I noticed a water leak in our downstairs bathroom ceiling. This, by the way, is never a good sign. I quickly ran upstairs and noticed that the ceiling was also wet. We had a similar problem occur some fifteen years ago, therefore, I had a guess as to what might be the problem. I climbed up into the attic and with a flashlight I could see where the air conditioning unit drains into the main drain that it was leaking or better, not draining, which caused the water to run down the rafters and into the ceiling upstairs, down the wall and into the bathroom ceiling downstairs. I hurried and changed into some work clothes and then back to the attic where I made my way over to where the drain hose was connected to the main drain. This was no small chore. Climbing over all the A/C equipment, the distribution ducting and making sure to stay on the rafters and not to crash through the sheetrock was very difficult. The area where the drain hose connects is near the roof edge and this means I had to nearly get on my belly to reach it. Once there, all I could do was verify that it was leaking but I could not see whether the main drain was stopped up or not. Tired from the busy weekend, this was not what I had planned to be on my agenda. I retraced my steps and came down and gave the unclear news to my wife. We shut down the A/C system and set up my office as our place to sleep since we have a window unit in that room. My wife had heard the blow up mattress is more comfortable if you don't inflate it all the way. Our field testing of this approach was not very successful as we ended up having to add air to it several different times. My mother told me there would be days but as I lay there at 1:30 a.m. I really wondered about my ability to cope! Yeah, that's what I am doing on this Tuesday, August 4, 2009. I am flexing my frustration faculties in dealing with what the Bible calls troubles that are common to everyone.On Monday I consulted with my eldest son and we decided given the limited access 
and our lack of proper tools it might be better to call out a technician rather than tackle the job ourselves. I made the call and got on the list. I had instructed the company to let me know when the technician was en route so that I could leave the office and be there when they arrived. I was pleased when they called me at 8:30 a.m., and left my office immediately. My wife was at home since she didn't go in to work until after noon, but she had our middle son's children because our little Alex has the pink eye and he couldn't be left at the daycare. When it rains! The technician arrived and he and I went up and looked at the problem. He agreed with my analysis but there was only one problem. He said we needed a plumber and he was an A/C technician. I told him that I had made it very clear when I called that our problem was not A/C related and that it was most likely a clogged drain. He mumbled something about how the ladies taking the calls really have no detail knowledge about the distinction and that this happens far too often. He called into their dispatch and they said someone would be out to our home within one to two hours. So, being the faithful homeowner in need of assistance, I waited.
and our lack of proper tools it might be better to call out a technician rather than tackle the job ourselves. I made the call and got on the list. I had instructed the company to let me know when the technician was en route so that I could leave the office and be there when they arrived. I was pleased when they called me at 8:30 a.m., and left my office immediately. My wife was at home since she didn't go in to work until after noon, but she had our middle son's children because our little Alex has the pink eye and he couldn't be left at the daycare. When it rains! The technician arrived and he and I went up and looked at the problem. He agreed with my analysis but there was only one problem. He said we needed a plumber and he was an A/C technician. I told him that I had made it very clear when I called that our problem was not A/C related and that it was most likely a clogged drain. He mumbled something about how the ladies taking the calls really have no detail knowledge about the distinction and that this happens far too often. He called into their dispatch and they said someone would be out to our home within one to two hours. So, being the faithful homeowner in need of assistance, I waited.I waited. I waited. And, then I waited some more. Meanwhile my wife had to get ready for work and drop the kids off on her way out. I did call the service company a number of times and each time I retold my story about how they had messed up the original 
call but each time I was told that I was next on the list, whatever that means! At 12:30 p.m. they called and said the plumber was on the way. At 1:30 p.m. he arrived and by 2:30 p.m. he had finished his work and gave me a skeptical hoped that it was fixed because we would have to allow it to run for some time to check it out. I paid him the $273.10 and hurried back to the office where I tried to get caught up on all the stuff I had planned on doing earlier. Frustrations. We all have to deal with them. Think about it. They are not only possible but they actually are a part of the fabric of life. Having them is not an 'if' proposition but rather it is a 'when' certainty. I was very cordial to the 
technicians because I understood they had nothing to do with the dispatching error but as one of them said, the ladies who take the calls are handling hundreds each day and everyone occasionally misunderstands or makes a mistake. Oh yeah? He was, of course, 100% correct. The world was never going to come to an end because of my plumbing issue and me being overwrought about it didn't add anything to the situation except for the increase in my blood pressure. I wrote about this only because each one of us faces stuff every single day and often the things we get stressed out about are so very insignificant in the larger scheme, especially compared to those all around us who are facing life and death challenges. Lessons learned? At least one: If you use a blow up mattress, blow that dude up until it screams! Have a blessed day. Amen. ....More later.
call but each time I was told that I was next on the list, whatever that means! At 12:30 p.m. they called and said the plumber was on the way. At 1:30 p.m. he arrived and by 2:30 p.m. he had finished his work and gave me a skeptical hoped that it was fixed because we would have to allow it to run for some time to check it out. I paid him the $273.10 and hurried back to the office where I tried to get caught up on all the stuff I had planned on doing earlier. Frustrations. We all have to deal with them. Think about it. They are not only possible but they actually are a part of the fabric of life. Having them is not an 'if' proposition but rather it is a 'when' certainty. I was very cordial to the 
technicians because I understood they had nothing to do with the dispatching error but as one of them said, the ladies who take the calls are handling hundreds each day and everyone occasionally misunderstands or makes a mistake. Oh yeah? He was, of course, 100% correct. The world was never going to come to an end because of my plumbing issue and me being overwrought about it didn't add anything to the situation except for the increase in my blood pressure. I wrote about this only because each one of us faces stuff every single day and often the things we get stressed out about are so very insignificant in the larger scheme, especially compared to those all around us who are facing life and death challenges. Lessons learned? At least one: If you use a blow up mattress, blow that dude up until it screams! Have a blessed day. Amen. ....More later.
No comments:
Post a Comment