How many jokes have you heard regarding how many Aggies it takes to change a light bulb? The obvious answer is one, plus twelve to turn the ladder. Okay, so that’s not knee-slapping funny, but the variation on jokes regarding how many folks in any number of categories it takes to change a light bulb are endless.
I am not an Aggie, but I am the father, father-in-law, brother, and uncle of an Aggie, and (drum roll please) – I cannot change a light bulb. It should not be that hard, but finding the correct light bulb out of a long aisle of light bulbs at Home Depot proved to be a bigger challenge than I expected.
Don’t get me wrong. I took a picture of the light bulb I needed to replace. The light bulb needing replacing came out of a light fixture in the home we are renting from my daughter and son-in-law (both T-sips who wear purple and gold and are diehard fans of LSU). My son-in-law attended LSU three years before transferring to UT.
So, what reportedly is the origin of the term “T-sip?” I honestly didn’t know the answer: “A student of Texas A&M’s archrival, The University of Texas at Austin. The term T-sip is intended to be derogatory (the origin being that while Aggies were off fighting wars, students of UT Austin were “sipping tea” at home)”.
I spent an inordinate amount of time carefully looking at light bulbs on the light bulb aisle at Home Depot. For the record, the light bulb aisle is no longer where it was previously located. I thought I’d share some light on that in case you want to go look for yourself. My question is “Why?” Why do stores shuffle items from one section of the store to another? My best guess is so that you’ll see things you didn’t anticipate seeing and find something else you want.
The light bulb I was looking for was a dark colored glass. The replacement bulb didn’t appear to exist. Okay, I was smart enough to say “calf rope” and I went to find help.
I found three employees wearing Home Depot badges in the adjacent aisle. The lady I showed the picture of the bulb that I needed said: “I don’t work in the lighting section. If you’ll go to the service desk, you can find assistance.”
They guy at the service desk was helpful. He said: “This is a silver blub. Let me see what I can find”. Turning the computer screen toward me, so I could see, he announced that they didn’t have the blub I needed. The bulbs he found were only silver on the top half.
He suggested I bring in the burned-out bulb with me the next time? I wondered what difference that would make since they reportedly didn’t have that bulb?
Getting back home, the General was dismissive of the fact that I couldn’t find the correct bulb. So, what watt blub was I looking to find? I had no idea. I guess you could say, I would know it when I saw it.
The General who knows everything looked at the burned out bulb to identify wattage. I told her it wasn’t there. She put on her magic glasses and it no time found 60 watts written on the base that screws into the socket. She is as sharp as a tack.
She went to her computer, and I went to mine. The search was on! I found what appeared to be the correct bulb before she did. Are you ready for this? The bulb I found wasn’t silver. It was labeled “smoke glass”, and it was in stock at Home Depot?
The General made me a copy of the page that identified where the correct bulb could be located. The information included the aisle and location. Some might say locating the bulb would be easy-peasy once I got back to the store.
Going back to the Home Depot, I avoided the service desk and walked directly to the aisle and location. I didn’t find what I was looking for even though there reportedly were 12 bulbs in stock.
Enough is enough! I found an employee who took the printed page from my hand and entered the number in an electronic gadget he held in his hand. Presto – he walked with me back to the same aisle where I had looked. What I needed was on the bottom shelf. I went ahead and purchased three bulbs even though I only needed one.
Figuring out that I didn’t have the sense to change a light bulb, the General took the bulb from me and did it herself. She turned the switch on, and the light was closely akin to Saul’s experience on the road to Damascus. It was so bright that it was blinding. It was at least three times brighter than the other two bulbs in the light fixture.
By now, Home Depot was closed for the day. Changing the light bulb would have to wait for another day. Andrea and Kevin stopped by to visit. According to them, the light bulbs were clear glass when they were initially installed. Who would have thought?
All My Best!
Don
Carpe Diem 