Beware the innocent fridge magnet
In this Letter to the Editor, a local reader presents a work of creative nonfiction to tell us what it takes to change a washer these days
By Courtney Aftermath
Drip, drip, drip – my bathroom basin was obviously in need of new washers, as no matter how hard I turned it off, it just wouldn’t stop!
I’m 84, a widow now, and the job was outside of my expertise.
Hmm! I know, I’ll use one of my fridge magnets and call a plumber!
Sure enough, a plumber rang my doorbell in a few days, but he wasn’t carrying a tool bag. In fact, he was dressed immaculately and he wasn’t carrying anything!
“Come on in," I invited, noting the magnificent van parked across the street, emblazoned all over with plumbers’ attributes!
I took him into the bathroom and he examined the dripping taps, and then I showed him the laundry taps which I thought could also use new washers. After a few minutes he said: “I’ll ring my manager and get you a quote”, which he did.
On his return from the van, out of my earshot, he said “six fifty”.
I assumed, being 84, that he meant $6.50c! Wow, I thought! That’s great! Imagine my shock when he clarified his quote as $650!!!!
I gasped “Sammy, I’m not paying that! For 4 washers!! You’re worse than the dentist!!”
“Oh," he said. “There’s a lot involved. We have to check your water pressure and there are other issues, like warranty.”
“My water pressure is fine,” I assured him. “The last plumber that was here has already adjusted that!"
“Well,” he said, “I’ll ring my manager again and see what I can do,” which he did. “Mrs Aftermath, my manager said he can take $100 off, but you’ll still have to pay GST.”
When I did the maths, that still came to $605! For 4 washers!!! So I said “Sorry Sammy, I’m not paying that.”
He asked: “So how much did you expect to pay?”
I said: “I expected you to have an itemised list of costings for all your different jobs.”
He said: “See that vehicle out there. That cost me $75,000!”
I replied: “That’s not my problem, Sammy. My vehicle cost me $9,000, because that’s what I can afford,” and I showed him out the door.
“Hmmm.” I have a kind odd-job man, whom I found in your Flame magazine, so I rang him to see if he could help. “Courtney,” he said, “I’m not a plumber, but I CAN do washers.” So up he came, carrying his tool bag. He turned the water off, took out his spanner, extracted the old washers, and replaced them, all within 25 minutes!
“That’ll cost you $50 thanks, Courtney, and promise me two things. One, you won’t turn your taps off TOO tightly because that’s what ruins your washers, and two, that you’ll NEVER ring anybody who leaves you a fridge magnet!!”
Sound advice – which I intend to follow.
