David splurged on a new vacuum cleaner the weekend before we left for California. I was super-excited for this new appliance to come home with us. I could vacuum the entire house before our vacation! I had been bitching about our old vacuum for over a year but was reluctant to drop a few hundred dollars on something we didn't really need.
Prior to the new bag-less Hoover vacuum we had been using a thrift store find (David bought it without consulting me) left over from the 1970's. It weighed a ton and had a "deep shag" setting. This thing was the Austin Powers of vacuums. I hated it. The attachments were difficult to use and it was so unwieldy it almost broke my foot a few times. The only thing I liked about it was the cord. The long cord allowed me to use one outlet and vacuum the whole house without ever having to change outlets. I know our house isn't very big but still!
We get the new vacuum home and David sets it up. I pull the old one out of the closet telling him to dispose of it at once. The new Hoover was like heaven! It was so light and easy to use. I was merrily vacuuming our bedroom when I smelled something burning. I turn the Hoover off, unplug it and scream, "DAVID! SOMETHING IS WRONG!" He walks in all mellow and methodical as I realize that I have sucked up something the Hoover was never meant to handle.
"It ate one of my socks!", I lament. David flips the vacuum over to assess the damage and he pulls out a broken vacuum belt. "Damn it all! I haven't even had the thing for 4 hours and I've already broken it." The happy vision of me and my new vacuum conquering dust and the world vanished in a puff of rubbery-smelling smoke. David takes the broken belt to the computer and searches the Internet for a replacement. He finds that he can get replacement belts for cheap from Hoover but they would take weeks to arrive. "But I wanted to vacuum everything before we leave next weekend," I whined. David pokes at discount store sites and home improvement store sites with no luck. We debate going out that night to a brick-and-mortar to search for a belt versus waiting until the next day.
I get on the Internet and use Google Maps to find out where the nearest vacuum repair store is located. I see there is a vacuum repair shop right down the main road. Gleefully, I inform David, "There is a local place! It's across from the car wash. You know, there's a big field right next to it. But it's 7:30 on a Saturday night I doubt they are open. They don't have a website but I'll call maybe they will have their hours on a recording." When I call a human being answers the phone! I am in shock, I can barely speak. I manage to ask when they close and the man says, "Eight o' clock." I hand the phone to David he tells the man what we need, they have the part and we tell him we will be there in less than ten minutes.
David eyes me, warily, and says, "You're sure you know where this place is?"
"Yes, I know where this place is. I may not know how to drive but I do have eyes that observe the world I am begin driven around. It's on the main road. We only have one main road. We can't get lost," I reply indignantly pulling on a sweatshirt. When we get to the little shop they have a beautiful, un-broken belt waiting for us at the counter. I pay for the belt with the last bit of cash I have - $3. Clutching it to my chest I skip out of the store and into the car. Me and my new vacuum belt; we are going to vacuum the hell out of our little cottage! I never thought I'd be the kind of girl who gets excited about vacuuming. Normally, that kind of energy is best spent at Beverly Hills Sample Sale not at a local vacuum store.
The vacuum's retractable cord in action!
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment