Saved from Going Down the Drain
I am aware that there are certain trades where people make off with the stash while leaving the rest of us drained and nearly bankrupt. I am talking about doctors, crazy lawyers, mechanics, wacko contractors, plumbers and others whose mercy we are sometimes at.
The other day, the stars must have been aligned correctly when I called Jorge at A&R Plumbing in Van Nuys and asked him to come out and help fix a common kitchen disaster, the broken garbage disposal. This was not our first business meeting, as I had found him on the Better Business Bureau's about a year ago when he installed a handsome kitchen faucet.
Being somewhat of an eco nut, I seldom used that contraption and felt that the malfunction was because of those people I bought this place from, who had not only tried to make off with the gas fire place shortly before escrow closed but had pulled some other fast ones as well.
Having had a good experience with him, I asked for an appointment to fix the appliance but not before he encouraged me to apply my own trade and wiles.
"There's a little button at the bottom," he said. "Press it in to reset it."
I looked under the sink and did likewise. Out of the silence came a melodious hum like a tipsy karaoke singer stuck on a dreadful note.
"Now take out what is trapped in the drain."
"Now I know why you guys make so much money," I said, "but it's still not working."
"You need a wrench. There should be one under your cabinet."
Obviously, he didn't remember being here.
"Maybe one of your neighbors has one."
Scraping that idea, I reached in, turned the blades myself then flipped the switch. And voila, it worked. Which only goes to show that there are honest plumbers who sometimes appear on the Better Business Bureau's website.
Always good to know a non-ripoff artist plumber.
Next time, after pushing the reset button, try using a broom handle or left over dowel from whatever that you saved...just in cast. You shove it into the disposal, find one of the metal turnie projection thingies -- that's the technical name -- and push clockwise until it turns. It works just about every time...sometimes without pushing the reset.
If you're like me who sometimes forgets which direction to turn something like a nut, screw, light bulb, jar top: it's lefty loosie, rightie tighty.
Sandy, you're trying to get me to spend more money, aren't you? Have we met somewhere?
Gail-
Nah. If I were trying to get you to spend money I would have said call Rick at Gardens by Rick in C.P. and get super drought-resistant landscaping, or go to the hardware store and buy a toothpaste-cap-retriever-from-down-the-drain thing on a flexible 12-inch wire tube, that when you push the top three grabber prongs come out the bottom.
Have we met? Here, DN letters to the ed, Opinionated, and best for last...DN opinion pages op-ed local view.
Or you've been in my kitchen on Sunday mornings reading the paper over my shoulder.