[lit-ideas] Re: The Determinism of Air Conditioning

The Determinism of Air Conditioning: )

I feel your pain.

But then I don't do window units, no matter what -- well, unless you're a damn 
good friend.  Awful things.  Don't do home refrigerators either.  A plague on 
them all.  Give me the big boy's stuff.

If you're ever told you need a new compressor or a whole new unit or a new 
furnace -- call in at least two other companies to verify, and don't tell them 
they're a second opinion.  Just a word to the wise.

Mike Geary
too lazy to be dishonest
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Lawrence Helm 
  To: lawrenchelm1. post@blogger. com 
  Sent: Friday, November 06, 2009 1:49 PM
  Subject: [lit-ideas] The Determinism of Air Conditioning


  When we were looking about California for a place to retire to, air 
conditioning was an important consideration.  I like to keep a room below 70 
whereas my wife suffers from anemia from time to time and likes to keep the 
house at about 80.  No problem, I thought.  We'll just find a house where I can 
have a nice large study, closed off from the rest of the house.  I'll get a 
window air-conditioner and everything will be fine.

  However, when we actually found a house we liked and I moved my books into my 
study and began thinking of an air-conditioner, the view of the San Jacinto 
Mountains was not something I wanted to spoil with a window unit.  Not a 
problem, I thought, I'll just have an air conditioner installed through the 
wall.  

  I went to Home Depot, selected a nice powerful unit, and bought it.  It was 
only after I had the unit sitting in my garage that I began calling 
air-conditioning people.  "What," said one man in amazement?  "You already have 
a unit?  You aren't buying it from us?"  

  "Yeah.  It's sitting in my garage."

  "Well, I'm sorry sir, we don't usually install anyone else's unit."

  "Are you saying you won't install my unit?"

  "Well, no.  Of course we aren't saying that, but our policy is to install the 
units we sell first, and to be honest.  I can't tell you how long it will be 
before we could get around to yours."

  After talking to a few such people, I observed that they have all mapped out 
for themselves a rather narrow field of interest.  Their world is one that they 
have determined, and if one comes into that world with some hair-brained scheme 
that doesn't fit in their world, they boot him out.

  After I had considered myself sufficiently booted out, I began calling 
construction people.  After all, I didn't need anyone to do anything to the 
air-conditioner beyond mounting it and plugging it in.  Surely a construction 
outfit could do that.  But construction people had a different set of concerns.


  ":Just where is it you want this air-conditioner installed."

  "Through the wall above my printer in my study."

  "And your study is on the ground floor?"

  "No, it is on the second story."

  "Whoa.  Go way up there on a ladder to install an air-conditioner?  I don't 
think we could do anything like that."

  Another fellow said he wouldn't be afraid to do it if only he hadn't injured 
himself in a motor cycle accident.

  Finally, and as a last resort, I called my son the electrician.  

  "I've never done anything like that, Dad."

  "Yes, but I've tried every place else.  I have confidence in you.  I'm sure 
you can do it, and you owe me money."

  "Well, sure, I can probably figure it out, he said doubtfully."

  "Great.  When can you come over?"

  And he did figure it out.  He had to install a separate circuit for the unit, 
cut a hole through the wall, install the air-conditioner through my study wall, 
and then go outside and install bracing.  After that he cut and installed some 
trim on the inside.  That was about 8 years ago and the unit has worked fine 
ever since.  And I hope it keeps on working, for I can't imagine an Air 
Conditioning man being willing to come out and work on it.  

  "Take it out of the wall, bring it in and we'll look at it.  Otherwise, 
forget it."

  "But vultures will fly in through the hole in the wall."

  "You should have thought of that before you installed it."

  "Drat.  I should have."

  Lawrence Helm

  www.lawrencehelm.com

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