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SCENE I: At home, domestic bliss ensuing, children locked in attic.
Wife (checking bank balance online): "That overtime paid off. Halfway through the month and we're not in overdraft!"
Washing machine: "Chugga."
Me: "What was that?"
Wife: "Nothing, just the washing machine. It makes that noise sometimes."
Me: "Ah, yeah. So finances looking okay then?"
Washing machine: "Chugga chugga chugga."
Wife: "Well, the mortgage has to come out yet and there's the car repair, but at the moment, could be worse . . ."
Washing machine: "CHUGGA CHUGGA CREEEEEEEEEEEE!"
Me: "Creee?"
Wife: "That's not normal?"
Me: "Pardon?"
Wife: "Normal! That incessant loud screaming noise, the violent shaking and the way it's trying to break the hose off the back, that's not normal washing machine behaviour!"
Washing machine " CREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE chugga CREEEEEEEEEEEEE BANG!"
Me: "What?"
Wife: "All that water spraying around the kitchen! Also not normal!"
Me (switching machine off at the mains and struggling to reach isolation valve): "You don't say!"
Wife: "No need to shout."
Washing machine (obeying comedy edict of all dramatically failing machinery everywhere): "Sproing."
Wife: Is that a spring?"
 |
| Spring sprungs. |
Me: "I feel it is, yes."
SCENE II - Showroom featuring large three dimensional rectangles designed to fit in kitchen spaces.
Salesman: "And then it went 'sproing' you say?"
Me: "Sproing, yes."
Salesman: "Was that preceded by a CREEEEEEEE by any chance?"
Me: "It was, yes!"
Salesman: "Oh. I see."
Me: "Is that good then?"
Salesman: "A sproing after a CREEEEEEEE is not usually a good sign, no." Points at my forehead "And did that spring come out of it?"
Me: "Oh this? It did yes. Must pull it out soon."
Salesman: "I know it's probably expected of me, but can I suggest that you buy a new one."
Me: "I believe my wife has already chosen that one over there, with the little smiley face sticker surrounded by pound signs on it."
Salesman: "Selling that one does make us happy sir."
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I presume that this sort of universal rule whereby any sort of disposable income that makes itself momentarily available will immediately become earmarked for an unavoidable repair has already been discovered? Saved a bit of money on the car insurance this year? Boom! - the heating packs in. Tax rebate? Whack! - the laptop takes up smoking. Lottery win - Shabang! The helicopter crashes into the Bugatti.
There's probably whole theses addressing this. Is it a separate event or part of Sod's Law? Is there a malicious entity at work, maybe karma, or is it Jesus punishing us for allowing Pekineses to marry? I might look it up on the google and see if it's a well documented phenomenon.
If not, I shall write it down and name it the There's Always Bloody Something Law.
