Thursday, March 26, 2009

Throwing Up on Cue Thanks to Modern Technology

Years ago I'd drag kid #1 or #2 or #3 to the doctor, and as soon as we got there they were miraculously cured of whatever ailment had kept us up the previous night. The family doctor would take one look at those cherubic rosy cheeks, take their temperature and send us back home, minus a copay. We'd get back home, afternoon would descend into evening and they'd commence to be burning up and throwing up again. I used to love it when that happened.

So the kids have moved out and now the only things we're trying to keep going are animals and applicances. A few months ago the fridge started making weird noises, noises like a nest full of baby birds were trapped inside, singing to get out. Or maybe it was the sound of $5 worth of crickets, purchased from the local bait shop. I'm not sure. I do know the fridge is only two years old, so it shouldn't be making any noise. Realizing having a fridge that sounds like baby birds are trapped inside would not go well with all the other staging we're doing around here, I phoned the local appliance people.

I'm happy to know I paid $1,200 for a Samsung refrigerator since they consider them such a sorry lot they don't service them. Happy news for us and cudos to me for the great research job before that purchase.

So I phoned Sears because they're not so picky and will take my money to work on anything I was dumb enough to buy, apparently.

In comes Mr. Sears #1. The fridge must have known he was coming because the minute he pulled up, it stopped. And would not start again for anything. He told me that replacing a certain part would cost a fortune. I told him, no problem, we have a five year warranty that will cover it but still he could not do that without evidence. As he sat behind my fridge, on the kitchen floor, giggling at the fact that it would not make a peep, I was struck by how different my sense of humor was than his. I was not amused at all.

But that was okay, he felt my pain and said instead of charging me today, he'd do a reschedule when surely it would peep on demand and we'd be good to go.

In comes Mr. Sears #2, who was grouchy, and immediately told me to turn off the cartoons in the family room because he had some hearing loss and could not hear anything with them on. I shared my painful story with very limited enthusiasm on his part, and he took the back of the fridge off again, listened to the silence, then began to lecture me that he'd been at this 'for 28 years, ma'am' and he could not fix what he couldn't hear. I think he just didn't like me, because with very little further ado, he told me he was rescheduling me for later in the week. Which was okay because I wasn't crazy about him either actually. He left, Landon and I turned Wonderpets back on and when his mama showed up to pick him up and I began to complain profusely to a new friendly face, she gave me a brilliant tip.

Video record it. On my camera. Which did not work, but my cell phone did.

I now have this to share:



Thank you modern technology!

See that? Hear that? That's my refrigerator guts, not throwing up but squealing and now I'm beginning to think it sounds more like a baby pig... So when Mr. Sears #3 comes this Friday, we're going to grab this laptop, find this blogpost and hit play, and if Mr. Sears #3 doesn't agree to fix it after that, the sounds coming from our kitchen might sound like something from nature, but baby birds singing - that's not really coming to mind...

11 comments:

Gretchen said...

Oh, I've been cured of many an ailment by making that dreaded doctor's appt. Too bad for your wallet that your fridge's cure is only temporary.

It's like you've been punk'd.

Keep us posted...

Anonymous said...

What a great idea! I wonder how I could do that with a toothache that goes away the second I sit in the dentist's chair??

Kelly said...

How brilliant is that?

If I want to finally have a great hair day I just make an appointment- that's the day my hair will be in all its glory:-)

I'm going to remember your tip the next time my car makes a funny noise... maybe it will save me the embarassment of trying to decribe it to the technician:-)

Diane@Diane's Place said...

I know one thing - even if it's not anything faulty with the machine, it sure is annoying! I'd want it to stop making that racket even if it's just a normal operation noise, which you say it's not.

Good luck getting a cooperative repairman.

Robin said...

THAT was a brilliant idea! Here's to a soon repaired refridgerator - and I hope you have seen the last of Mr. Grouohy!

Susanne said...

My kids always did that to me at the doctors office but I can't say my appliances have ever rebeled like that. Naughty fridge. Awful smart mama that Landon has.

Unknown said...

Brilliant. It's just like a Nannycam, or maybe Bond ... James Bond. Brilliant!!

Barb said...

Gretchen just cracks me up - "like you've been punk'd." LOL.

You crack me up too because I seriously cannot believe I can sit here in my office, in Colorado, and hear my sister's refrigerator, in Pennsylvania, make that weird noise. You have no idea how much closer it makes me feel to you.

It sounds like a fan belt to me. Is there a fan belt in there? Leslie is a genius - I'd never have thought to record it on the phone.

I know you don't think so, but this is striking me as hilarious, grouchy, semi-deaf repairman and all. :-)

Linda said...

Oh, I needed a smile this afternoon. What a wonderful story teller you are Bev (not that I don't believe the frig chirping and all, especially with videographic -not sure that's a word - evidence).
Anyhoo...thanks for brightening my day with your genius for telling a great story.

Leah said...

It sounds (and even looks a little bit) like a stuck pig! =)

Katrina @ Callapidder Days said...

Fantastic idea! Our furnace has been making an odd buzzing sound... but stopped shortly before the repairman got here. Then started again 2 days later. Sigh... I think I'll video/audio tape it so I'm better prepared next time!