The Old Coot broke his
O-ring.
By Merlin Lessler
I had a blow-out the other
day! Not the tire on my car. It was my travel mug that blew a gasket. Most
mornings, when I leave the Owego Kitchen, I get a warm-up to accompany me on
the walk home. Refills are free with the purchase of coffee. Kind of nice! I claim
to use a thermos mug because it saves paper cups and helps the environment, but
I really do it, because I want my coffee to stay hot for the rest of the
morning so I get a “walk-home” refill. I’m a cheap skate who knows a good deal
when he sees it.
Anyhow, I put the travel
mug in my messenger bag that also holds a notebook loaded with ideas for Old
Coot articles and a wad of half written ones. I made it across the street and
into the M & T Bank parking lot when I felt a wet stream running down the side
of my leg. I looked down and noticed my shirt was wet as well.
A quick check into the bag
solved the mystery; it wasn’t me that was leaking fluids, the mug was the
culprit. Though it usually is me, with blood leaking out after bumping an arm
or leg on a sharp edge. It’s what happens when you have thin, old man skin.
Coffee soaked the bag and then me. Did I leave the stopper open? Did I forget to
tighten the lid? No! It was the O-ring that seals the top; it was bent out of
shape. “Good,” I thought to myself, “It isn’t my fault.”
I lumbered home, through
the village in wet, coffee-stained pants and shirt, hauling a drenched shoulder
bag. Now I’m home, in dry clothes, writing this, happy as a clam. If my clothes
come out of the washer with stains, it won’t be my fault (for a change) and I
won’t hear my wife say, “Tsk, Tsk,” or be referred to as the Stain Man. The
twisted out of shape 0-ring was repaired by a skilled surgeon on the operating
room table in our kitchen. It’s back in service, ready for action and I can
walk through town with some semblance of dignity.
Comments? Send to
mlesssler7@gmail.com
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