Watts Happening

I almost died the other day.

I was installing the dryer into the house a few days ago. We had gotten a new electric plug for it. You know the kind: big heavy cord covered with thick rubber with that obnoxiously large connecter at the end baring three metal prongs like some primordial snake. On the other end were three corresponding metal clips which I had to screw into the back of the dryer. It suddenly occurred to me that I wasn't sure if the plug end was the right type. Without thinking (which is always dangerous) I quickly slipped the plug into the wall to see if it would fit.

Now, before I go on, let me say that any smart, experienced handy-man would have made sure that they turned off the electricity to the dryer outlet before attempting any work on it. Logic and common sense dictate such an action. Sadly, I was apparently in short supply of both that night.

The plug slipped into the outlet. The metal prongs at the other end of the cord were touching each other and right next to my hand. Before I knew what happened, an incredible bolt of electricity, white-hot, burst from the end of the cord. I jumped four feet in the air. My wife, who was watching with interest, cried out, "Troy Fuller! Are you alright?" Okay, my wife hasn't called me 'Troy Fuller' since, well, she's actually never called me by my full name. I knew I was in trouble when she yelled that. The kids tumbled downstairs from their bedrooms. "What was that?" they cried. "We saw lightening!" It was a true miracle that I wasn't electrocuted especially considering the powerful voltage that flows into dryers.

I'm no handyman but necessity is the mother of invention or, in this case, life-risking handy-man work. Needless to say, I will be retiring my screwdrivers and drills pretty soon and trading them in for scalpels and textbooks.

May that day come quickly in and our time!

I'll keep you posted.