Uh Oh… A Clogged Toilet

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What should I do now? I asked myself.

For about a week, the toilet wasn’t draining properly. This indicated a blockage somewhere in the system. Using a plunger helped. It drained the excess water out of the bowl and prevented flooding. But yesterday, it got worse. When I flushed the toilet, colored water started showing up on the shower floor.

I heard my inner voice saying, this calls for professional help.

What? I protested. I’m supposed to be able to fix this kind of thing. After all, I’m a guy.

Fortunately, I didn’t let manly pride get the better of me. Otherwise, I would have put the matter into my own hands and made a complete disaster of the situation. I’d been known for having two left hands. In other words, I’d been good at breaking things apart but not at putting them back together again.

It was 8:30 am. I went to the Yellow Pages and looked for plumbers. After calling several outfits on the list, I realized the job wouldn’t be cheap. Just to stop by at my place and do nothing but knock at the door would already cost me $75. On the average, the labor charge is $120 per hour. Most advertise that they don’t charge for overtime. With the labor charge that stiff, who would? That is, if they have any conscience left.

I closed my eyes and let my finger do the picking. It pointed to Mr. Rooter Plumbing. I called and made an appointment. The dispatcher said somebody would be coming between 11:00 am to 12:00 pm. Right then and there, I knew my day was shot.

In the meantime, I was faced with the issue of attending to my personal needs with the toilet being out of commission. I heard my inner voice spoke again. How about the mall? It said. Good idea. Hurriedly, I drove to the nearest mall to get rid of the extra weight in my body. Oh, what a relief!

The plumber came an hour late and started his diagnosis. He said the clog was in the waste pipe leading to the sewer line. It was so bad that it was time for it to be replaced. It would be a four-hour job. Total cost was estimated at $1,750 including labor and parts. It sounded like highway robbery. At this point, however, there was nothing I could do but get it over with and have the job done. I was glad I could charge it to my credit card.

By the way, if you’re thinking of replacing your old computer or car but couldn’t make up your mind, I can help. Allow me to take a look at it. Once I’m done poking under the hood, your dilemma will be resolved. It works everytime. Fully guaranteed.