In the center of Jeffrey\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s basement floor is a drain. Like the one in the center of mine, it works fine when, say, the washer overflows. However, during hard rains the drain regurgitates. My floor and walls are porous so the drain contributes minimally to my then wet basement. Jeff\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s single leak is that drain, and yesterday we drove to Home Depot in search of the square nut we needed to lock the drain down, to keep water from backing up. <\/p>\n
Jeff doubted we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d find anything but your typical hexagonal nut, but I remained convinced we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d have our pick of sizes. I was wrong. Long metal shelves of every conceivable size of nut and bolt, but not a single square one. I sidled up next to an older gentleman, tall, skin like tanned cow hide and a John Deere hat.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153You know where we can find square nuts.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153On the other side of this aisle.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Been there and there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not a one.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Rural King. They sell them by the pound.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
I thanked the guy, happy that we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d end our search at our next stop. As Jeff and I wove past backed-up stop lights he asked, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Do you think Rural King will have them?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
I could hardly hear his question. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d picked out a man with THE answer. In my mind, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d climbed that snowy peak in Tibet and prostrated myself in front the shiny-domed cross-legged guy with the beatific smile. <\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153What do you mean, \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcDo I think\u00e2\u20ac\u2122? I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll bet my truck on it.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Rural King reminds me of the old Spags in Shrewsbury. They have everything and everything is cheap. I stopped in the jeans aisle first, tried on a single pair of jeans to make sure they fit and bought four pairs at 9.99 each. We then found our way to the hardware corner where all the square nuts would be lined up in bins.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Look, that thing I said about my truck… .\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Embarrassed, I found another customer, this one with an Allis Chalmer\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s hat, glasses and hands permanently curled from a lifetime of tractor driving. I asked him where I might find square nuts.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Not here,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he said.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t get it, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153 I said, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153When we were growing up square nuts were everywhere.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
He laughed and said, \u00e2\u20ac\u009dAnd all you needed was an adjustable wrench.\u00e2\u20ac\u2122<\/p>\n
At that moment Jeffrey walked up to us with two sizes of square nuts in his hand. He\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d found them in a specialty bin three aisles away.<\/p>\n
On our way home with square nuts in a plastic bag sitting between us, and my new jeans resting in the bed of the truck, I said, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I have trouble finding jeans my size. The labels often mean nothing. Now I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m happy to have four pairs that fit. <\/p>\n
Jeff answered, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153No, you have one pair that fits. The one you tried on.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In the center of Jeffrey\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s basement floor is a drain. Like the one in the center of mine, it works fine when, say, the washer overflows. However, during hard rains the drain regurgitates. My floor and walls are porous so … Continue reading