Epiphany

While shopping at Home Depot today, I saw a lighted Christmas gift box that I thought would be a good addition to the other lighted gift boxes I’ll be setting out on the patio for Christmas.

It was going for $49 and, when I got to the register, the cashier said, “You can get this for free if you sign up for a Home Depot credit card”.

Whaaaaaaa?!

Can’t say I wasn’t tempted. Sounded like a generous incentive but, not wanting to take the time to do the paperwork, I paid cash for the item, along with my other purchases, and called it a day.

At Home Depot to purchase specific items, I had no business browsing the Christmas isle, but who can resist taking a hard left inside the doors to peruse all the cuteness.

Cute, but I'm not bringing into my unit things I don't need, things that don't serve a purpose.

At any rate, one of the items I walked out of Home Depot with was a 40 Watt light bulb, which is what online research indicated is what was needed to replace the burnt out bulb in the Frigidaire … the Frigidaire that I submitted a work order request for way back in early September, with five subsequent follow-ups since then to no avail.

You might think it ridiculous that I’m out buying a light bulb with plans to do the fix myself, and you’d be entirely correct but, after a conversation with another resident as to the Tyrant not responding to her requests, I had an epiphany.

That resident, from another quad, posed the question “What’s wrong with that guy?” to which I said, “Those are the exact same words I’ve expressed to others, because he’s not responding to my requests for repairs either … I’m beginning to think he’s just loco in la cabeza” — impressing her with my high school Spanish, causing her to LOL.

Thinking about that conversation later, I had an epiphany. That epiphany being that the Tyrant is getting a perverse pleasure out of being in control, being obstinate, knowing full well Corporate doesn’t care about our complaints, there’s nothing we can do but wait for his discretion.

I suppose if I paid homage to his overblown sense of self, cajoled him, kissed his arse, he’d get the guys up here to do their job, but that’s not my style — especially when it’s with someone who’s job it is to get it done without my sucking up.

Now that I understand what he’s playing at, it occurs to me that the way to handle him is to take his power away by bypassing him, not needing him.

I thought about hiring one of those handymen listed in flyers posted at the market but, upon googling how to put a replacement bulb in a Frigidaire, and WHERE in the refrigerator the light compartment was located, I realized it was so easy that, once I unplugged the refrigerator — so as to not electrocute myself, I could do it myself. So that’s why I was at Home Depot today.

Unfortunately, the 40-Watt is too large so, after tomorrow’s workout, I’ll be heading back to Home Depot — burnt out bulb in hand, return the 40-Watt, get help with matching the correct wattage and be done with fixing the Frigidaire.

Getting my hands on the correct size inside lateral blinds, and looking at how to install, is proving to be more daunting. So, I'm going at the Tyrant one more time.

The plan is to send him an email tomorrow saying that “since no one came up to take care of the refrigerator light, I got online, did research, figured out how to fix it myself. However, looking online at replacing the bedroom blinds is more daunting. If you give me the correct measurements to buy, I’ll be happy to see if I can find someone to install for me.”

That communication will either shame him into doing his job, or piss him off beyond belief and he’ll get even MORE obstinate.

I’ll let you know how it goes.

BTW: My color queen daughter (Twin 1) is a finalist for CNN Hero of the Year. If you could spare 30 seconds daily from now until December 7th by visiting CNN.com/heroes and casting 10 votes for her, it'd be a small way to help make a big impact for the local unhoused communities she serves.

Thank you in advance for voting.