Sunday, August 8, 2010

Hawaii Story

Hawaii Story
Written by: Chad Benzel

So in my visit to Hawaii this last spring, a few interesting things happened to me. One of which might have been one of the more embarrassing and perhaps one of the  funniest things that has ever happened to me.

Let's just dive in... Last Summer, my brother and I (who own Squeegee Brothers Mobile Window Cleaning, LLC) were in Oahu, HI working on the Hawaiian High-Rise Skyscrapers with our friend Dino at Worldwide Windows.  We were staying in this very kind woman's rental house, and... um... Well, I plugged the toilet in this poor, little ladies home and had to ask her for a plunger.  (Hey, I never promised any high philosophical content!  ...As I said before, it was pretty embarrasing and extrememly funny!)

She HOUNDED me in the sweetest of ways about whether or not I put something crazy down there (paper towel, toilet papaer, Q-tips, Pet Parakeet, etc).  I answered her, "No, I hadn't." because it was the truth.  She continued to tell me about how the hole in this particular toilet was SQUARE, so if I put anything extra down there at all, then it would all stop up!  I continued to chuckle at her and maintained the same answer!  She continues... tells me that a "Plunger" cannot be used with this particular toilet!  I laughed out loud.  "Well what do you do if it gets clogged?" I asked.  She replied, "I've had this toilet for a couple years and it's never been plugged before" (Mmmm, hmm!  It's as if she thinks I'm lying about what I put into the toilet... I mean, what kind of guests is she inviting over on a regular basis that keeps feeding her imagination of putting odd things into this Square toilet? )

After listening to her go on for a few more minutes, I was beginning to get a bit frustrated and wishing she would just leave me alone and tell me whether or not she has a plunger becuase I guarantee I could fix it!  What happens next?  She then called the manufactuer and asked them what to do... Seriously?!?!?!  They told her that it may more difficult to plunge than other toilets, but that a standard plunger should suffice for the task.

When I got home, I flushed the toilet, hoping it will free itself... but it didn't.  I repeated the process a couple more times in the next thirty minutes, and as my brother Todd was taking a shower, "KUH_PSSHHHHHHH!"  IT FLUSHED!!!  

Before I had a chance to tell her that I had fixed the problem,  her son-in-law calls me and says "So what in the world did you eat for dinner?  Karen says you plugged the toilet!"

…What could I say.  The whole island knew before I woke up the next morning… It's a story for the grandkids!!!