Thursday, October 30, 2008

[the worcester combi boiler] the tale concludes

Sunday night - boiler breaks down.

Monday morning - the lack of heat in the house, upon waking, has my mate on the phone for an emergency callout. No problem, we'll be right over.

Monday evening - the repair man comes "right over" and determines that this time it is the fan which has crashed but of course it's too late to do anything about it. The "emergency call out fee" still stands though. Cold night in jacket and hood. Move to two pairs of socks.

Tuesday morning - awaiting the part and trying to get different jobs done.

Tuesday evening - nothing. Many phone calls but to no avail - answer machine is on at the other end.

Wednesday morning - after an unpleasantly cold night, my mate phones over and over and over to whatever numbers he can get hold of. No luck. Mood getting worse. Wearing three pairs of socks now.

Wednesday evening - fortunately, growling at one another is not on either agenda so we sit in silence, then watch a movie over supper. Then - knock on the door. Repairman comes in, complaining that my mate had called him "incompetent" to the girl at the end of the phone when what he'd actually said was that he [my mate's] confidence in the firm's competence was being steadily eroded. Repairman goes upstairs, complaining that he can't work with anyone watching him, it makes him nervous, so could my mate stay downstairs. Says he doesn't appreciate my mate's insults.

Wednesday, some five minutes later - repairman comes downstairs hugely apologetic. Sorry, sorry, it's the wrong fan. Must have ordered the wrong one. Sorry, sorry. My mate, big grin across his face, lets him out, then goes to his computer table, mouthing, over and over, "F---ing incredible! F---ing incredible." I burst out laughing and he sees the funny side too. He moans, "I want my mummy."

Wednesday, some hours later - after the two hundredth "f---ing incredible", we regret not seeing the look on the guy's face when, after castigating us for having little faith in his competence, he goes upstairs and sees that it's the wrong fan. Uproarious laughter all round. Freezing night - fourth pair of socks donned.

Thursday morning - my mate's had enough and goes to his parents for a shower, then to an appointment. I agree to stay in and see if anything happens.

Thursday afternoon - it's the door and it's the other repairman - the competent one. He goes upstairs and seven minutes later, comes back down - all done and the heating has already begun. :)

6 comments:

  1. ROFL

    Didn't I say it was the fitter who was the problem?

    Joking apart, I am glad it is fixed now. Why do these always break when the weather is at it's coldest?

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  2. What a story! Glad you've got heat at last. I was just saying elsewhere the heat is decidedly necessary at the moment.

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  3. Glad it's fixed. It was a quite a tale. Perhaps it will be toled in future as the saga of Ivar the Boilerless

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