About a Plunger
Everyone's done it, everyone's experienced it, everyone knows the feeling of the need for a plunger. A common occurrence that can result in panic, worry, and terror.
Last night I arrived home and took a moment to utilize the facilities at my apartment. Nothing out of the ordinary, nothing more than a brief moment in time....until the flush.
And then, then that moment arrived. The one when panic takes hold.
I watched, horrified as the toilet flushed, then proceeded to overfill. What? Why? I jerked around and with a sigh of relief found the cat unflushed. So he didn't cause the clog then how? The question died as I realized something of more importance, the bowl couldn't hold another drop of water and began spilling over the edge.
With a shriek I dove for the plunger. My hand closed on air as we do not, apparently, have a plunger.
Ok, contingency plan, I ran down the stairs to our neighbors. Frantically I explained my situation, but they only shook their heads. In utter dismay I ran down to the landlady's but she either wasn't home or had decided to silently mock my plight from behind her closed door.
So, I did what any perfectly normal person would do.
Clad in slippers, I sprinted to the nearest store, raced through the store, said a silent prayer when I discovered three, brand-new plungers awaiting their moment to shine. Deciding that I only needed the one, I ran to the check-out counter. Waited patiently as the customer in front of me rambled on about something or the other to do with the newest flavor of chewing gum, then triumphantly presented the plunger to the checker.
He was unimpressed.
I nervously shuffled as he expertly took more than the required time to scan the item and ask for $4.89. For a plunger? I only hesitated for a moment then threw the money at him and bolted.
The race back proved harder as slippers are not all that comfortable to sprint in and the way back was uphill. I was not to be deterred, however, and pressed on.
Taking the stairs one at a time (I was in slippers!) I arrived at the scene plunger in hand and proceeded to plunge. A moment later, the crisis ended and I was left there, standing in a puddle of water, dripping plunger in hand, a bead of sweat on my forehead.
Not one to miss an opportunity, I dumped a pint of Lysol on the floor and mopped the floor to a nice lemony shine. We now have a plunger. And I am the master of that plunger.
Last night I arrived home and took a moment to utilize the facilities at my apartment. Nothing out of the ordinary, nothing more than a brief moment in time....until the flush.
And then, then that moment arrived. The one when panic takes hold.
I watched, horrified as the toilet flushed, then proceeded to overfill. What? Why? I jerked around and with a sigh of relief found the cat unflushed. So he didn't cause the clog then how? The question died as I realized something of more importance, the bowl couldn't hold another drop of water and began spilling over the edge.
With a shriek I dove for the plunger. My hand closed on air as we do not, apparently, have a plunger.
Ok, contingency plan, I ran down the stairs to our neighbors. Frantically I explained my situation, but they only shook their heads. In utter dismay I ran down to the landlady's but she either wasn't home or had decided to silently mock my plight from behind her closed door.
So, I did what any perfectly normal person would do.
Clad in slippers, I sprinted to the nearest store, raced through the store, said a silent prayer when I discovered three, brand-new plungers awaiting their moment to shine. Deciding that I only needed the one, I ran to the check-out counter. Waited patiently as the customer in front of me rambled on about something or the other to do with the newest flavor of chewing gum, then triumphantly presented the plunger to the checker.
He was unimpressed.
I nervously shuffled as he expertly took more than the required time to scan the item and ask for $4.89. For a plunger? I only hesitated for a moment then threw the money at him and bolted.
The race back proved harder as slippers are not all that comfortable to sprint in and the way back was uphill. I was not to be deterred, however, and pressed on.
Taking the stairs one at a time (I was in slippers!) I arrived at the scene plunger in hand and proceeded to plunge. A moment later, the crisis ended and I was left there, standing in a puddle of water, dripping plunger in hand, a bead of sweat on my forehead.
Not one to miss an opportunity, I dumped a pint of Lysol on the floor and mopped the floor to a nice lemony shine. We now have a plunger. And I am the master of that plunger.
posted by ldbug at Thursday, February 22, 2007
17 Comments:
It is nice to see a perfect piece of crisis management. However, you did forget your girl guides pledge to be prepared for it!
We only bought a plunger after a near diaster, too. Mine was $13, tho. For a plunger?
That was amazingly resourceful. I don't live close enough to a shop to do that and would probably have had to chuck jugfuls out of the window.
I love "taking the stairs one at a time". After all, the last thing to do is panic.
boy - prepared to plunge, you mean? Well, I am now!
biddie - Holy, was it plated in gold per chance? ;-)
z - oh, I panicked, you see, it's just hard to take two at a time when wearing slippers that don't have a back on them:-)
This comment has been removed by the author.
You know, I'm getting tired of this computer. It's so slow that I keep posting comments twice without realizing it, then removing them, and now feel the need to explain why I keep having deleted comments. Oh, it's a tough life!
I do hope that your slippers double as galoshes :-)
That guy at the checkout could sense your desperation - so that might be why it was so expensive! Plungers are as essential (maybe more so) than fire extinguishers!
Next time, take off your lid, and then there is something you can do inside the toilet tank that will stop it from running while you RUN. But I can't remember what. But there's something. ?
The new "water saver" toilets are sure fire gonna plug, no matter what you do in them, liquid or otherwise....stay away from water saver toilets, mind you. Those things should come with plunger attached.
Enjoy the shiny floor.
molly - unfortunately they don't, but fortunately it was dry enough yesterday! (at least outside the appartment)
gardenia - on second thought I should've just turned the water off at the source below the tank...oh well, at least I got a little exercise!
My girlfriend up the block was in a similar crisis...she says I was a TRUE GOOD friend for walking through our (oh so) questionable neighbourhood with a plunger. One night, a few weeks later, her NEW boyfriend and her were here(with her son, a toddler) for dinner and she NEEDED an extra diaper. He went back to her place for and diaper and returned with both the diaper and my plunger...I turned to her immediately and told her "He's a definite Keeper."
This is by far the best plunger action/adventure story of all-time! Well done!
You also get points for staying calm in the face of disaster...or at least wet sticky floors!
Kudos to you, Ma'am!
Have a good weekend!
dilling - definitely a keeper!
rock - hmmm, not sure if 'calm' describes it;-)
I've never done it.
But I have used Mr Muscle plug unblocker and those salts that dissolve through stuff :)
jing - when you get your first apartment you will, oh yes, you will experience all of this. Every cheap apartment I've lived in has an equally cheap toilet. A plunger is a must. I'm actually surprised at myself for not purchasing one upon moving in! I really thought there was one lurking around.......Never heard of Mr. Muscle, sounds like fun;-)
I like the way you transform a story (about a plunger!) which otherwise would have been incredibly mundane into something so entertaining.
dude, y'alls toilet sucks... =D
miao - well, it was a traumatic event after all;-)
kenyc - yes, yes it does.
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