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There have been
numerous studies done which suggest that many forms of life
communicate with one another. It is well documented that
animals react quickly to signals from other animals. A flower
uses color and scent to attract an insect.
Even the single-cell amoeba communicates by means of a
chemical discharge so communication may be chemical, visual,
or by sound and touch. I am convinced, after a lifetime
of independent study, that appliances also have found a
way to converse with one another.
How else to explain that whenever Val was away on a business
trip, one or more appliances either refused to operate in
a well-behaved manner or broke down completely?
A more recent example occurred immediately after our basement
flooded. As if I didn’t have enough problems with
a soggy basement and Christmas guests arriving, the refrigerator
ice-maker said to the dishwasher, "Let’s go on
strike" and the self-cleaning mechanism on the oven
decided to join the party and refused to do one more self-clean.
Statistically speaking, all this occurring at once, could
not be merely accidental. Admittedly, we belatedly discovered
that the dishwasher was not actually broken, but not until
I had hand-washed and dried loads of dishes for several
days and made an appointment (cost for a look-see diagnosis
only, $109) with Sears repair service.
In the nick of time, a friend told me about Rocky’s
Appliance Service, (203) 481-9654, and after I explained
the problem by phone, Rocky suggested we check to see if
the wall switch was on. Elementary, but we hadn’t
thought of it!
Seems that son, Michael, in using the vacuum, had turned
off the wall switch to the dishwasher. One problem solved
thanks to honest Rocky — a white knight, in my book.
The ice-maker did require a service call, but it was still
under the refrigerator’s one-year warranty. However,
the stove, a 20-year-old Jen-Air, has parts which are no
longer available, so I will have to return to the disagreeable
task of oven cleaning or replace the entire stove.
Personally, I blame the foregoing appliance strike on the
furnace dehumidifier, which became uncooperative last month.
When we decided to ignore it for the time being, I am convinced
it became disgruntled and instigated the entire appliance
revolt.
I can’t recall my parents ever replacing any of the
household appliances when I was growing up. True, they were
all less complicated in design, but they were also built
to last. Starting way back in 1927 until the 1980s, Zenith
was known for their slogan, "The quality goes in before
the name goes on."
Whatever happened to that kind of pride in workmanship?
Proof that most of today’s appliances have built-in
obsolescence is that most service contracts are for one
year only.
The next time one of the fancy gizmos on one of the appliances
refuses to operate, I’ll use the method of communication
common to the mountain gorilla. When angered, they simply
stick out their tongues. Even if the appliance doesn’t
quite get the message, I’ll feel a lot better.
Jean Cherni is founder of Senior
Living Solutions, a retirement advisory service. Contact
her at jeancherni@sbcglobal.net or 15 The Ponds, Branford
06405.
H. Pearce Company REALTORS®
is a full-service real estate company with more than 100
agents and branch offices in greater New Haven and the Shoreline.
Corporate and & Commercial offices are located in North
Haven, where the company was founded in 1958. All listings
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