the honest story of the hot water heater

Once upon a time a boy and a girl needed a new hot water heater. Like really badly. They were taking dirty, rusty, showers and it was ruining the tile in their bathroom. They were boiling water every time their children needed to take a bath to ensure the water was clean and pure of whatever. Aside from being a nuisance, the girl was stressing out because of what the dirty water was doing to her body. The boy was working hard so that one day, soon, they could get a new one.

Then one day after a busy work week the boy said he was going to buy a hot water heater. He looked on line and found the best deals. Then he looked on Craigslist, to find only a better deal. The boy found a hot water heater on Craigslist for $300. The boy told the girl. The girl said, "yeah, but is it legit. Is saving $100 worth dealing with Craigslist and not having any warranty." The girl was then chastised by the boy for "always being so skeptical!" So the girl complied and the boy called on the water heater.

The next day the boy said he got a hold of the seller on Craigslist and that he was going to go check out the water heater. The girl said ok. The boy came home all smiles. The water heater was brand new, never been used, and he knocked off one hundred dollars, paying only $200 for the new appliance. The girl was excited and applauded the boy for his frugality and "steal of a deal!"

The next day the boy and the girl's dad installed the new hot water heater. One of the children of the boy and the girl noticed and exclaimed when she turned on the water in the bathroom, "it's clear!" which again emphasizes the point that they really needed a new one.
Then the flame went out and they had no hot water.
The boy re-lit the flame and it went out again.
The boy got a bit crabby.
The girl didn't say anything out loud but silently thought, "I TOLD YOU SO" as she watched the angry boy storm in and out of the garage.
The boy decided that since he was home and in the working mode that he would also replace the water spouts in the tub in the bathroom because they have been leaking.
He ran to get a part that he needed from the store.
He came home to find that the part didn't fit.
The boy became more crabby and the girl became more patient, out of necessity.
The boy and the girl now have no water, cold nor hot.
The boy has been to all the stores and no-one has the part he needs to replace the spouts.
The next day their is still no water. The boy gets up and takes the children to the grandparents house to bathe and takes himself to yet another store to get the said part.
The girl stays home, sick in bed, with a cold.
The boy comes home and says that no part exists and what stupid idiots designed these things that don't fit together.
The girl makes him bacon and eggs and they share a water bottle.
The boy decides he has to take out the whole wall and replace the whole thing.
The girl gets excited and starts googling tile designs.
The boy makes some phone calls.
The girl goes over to the grandmas (girl's mom's) to get the kids and take a shower.
The boy goes to shop for tile.
The girl reminds the boy that the tile is not her priority. The hot water is the priority.
The boy admits he is not thinking straight. He is too frustrated.
The boy caps the spouts in the tub so that the water for the rest of the house can be turned on.
The girl goes and flushes all the toilets.
The boy calls the seller from Craigslist and tells him that his wife was right.
Ha, did I get you? That's not really what he said.
The boy calls the seller from Craigslist and tells him that the thing doesn't work.
The seller comes to our house, retrieves the hot water heater and gives us our money back.
The boy and the girl smile because of good people.
The boy tells the girl at 9:06pm that he is going to Sears to get the original hot water heater he found on-line.
The girl says, "why now?"
The boy says, "because we can't turn the water on until we have a water heater hooked up."
The boy calls his buddy to join him and they drive off in search of a hot water heater.
The girl sighs and thinks, "I still can't do the dishes, but at least we got our money back!"