RV parts store

[Suz]

Don’t ya just love going to the RV parts stores? They are so knowledgeable and helpful – NOT!

I decided it was time to replace my black tank dump valve. It wasn’t leaking, but it was 17 years old and getting harder to work. I felt like it was only a matter of time that it gave out on me … most likely when I was right in the middle of you know what.

I picked the valve up when I was there getting parts for something else a couple of weeks ago. I’d never replaced one, so I wasn’t sure what all I needed until I took it apart. Removing the other one, I was able to see just what I needed so off I went.

When I first got my trailer four years ago, I was in there so much that the old timers knew me by my first name and would just wave as I headed over to the parts department. They knew that I was going to do my own thing and would ask for help if I needed it.

[Suz]

Last couple of visits I noticed that the old timers weren’t around. When I went in yesterday,I headed straight for the plumbing and was digging around and piecing stuff together. One of the employees asked if he could help. I pretty much had to tell him what he had and what he didn’t. Saved him from going through everything like I had already done. I found the two fittings I needed, but they were both female and I need one that was just like it only male. He called a “more knowledgeable” man over and asked him.

“Oh”, says he, they’re made to use with PVC pipe. You just cut off a piece of pipe and join them that way.”

“Well,” says I, “ the only problem with that theory is that I don’t have that much clearance. If you don’t mind” I’ll just keep looking.”

I looked around a bit and found exactly what I needed over on the next aisle. Being the helpful person I am, I informed Mr. Helpful that I had found the proper connector and where they had been located in his store -- just in case another customer needed one.

[Suz]

After browsing for a bit longer I headed to the register to check out. Mr. Helpful was there all ready to ring me up. I had intentionally gotten two of the fittings that go on the bottom of the valve. Never hurts to have an extra in case one of the little nubs break off. I had one of the female fittings that goes on top of the valve. He rang up the two and as he was trying to read the tag on the third one, he asked:

"Is this one the same as the other two?"

“No, it isn’t. Those two are the same; that one is different.”

“Oh.”

When he was putting it all in the sack, he asked:

“You going to do this yourself?”

“Yep”

“You don’t have a guy at home to do it?”

I mumbled something as I took my sack of stuff and headed out the door.

Man, I hate breaking in new people! BLAH!

[Roger H]

Suz, I'm always amazed at how some people can occupy the same physical space and time we're in and yet be in a totally different world.

Good job!

Rog

[Jana J]

I love this part.
*********
'You going to do this yourself?'

'Yep'

'You don’t have a guy at home to do it?'

I mumbled something as I took my sack of stuff and headed out the door.

Man, I hate breaking in new people! BLAH!
************
That's all I can think to say - I love this part.

[Maggie O.]

Great story. And way too familiar

[Benita]

Been there before:

VISIT TO RADIO SHACK

ME: "I need a male connector and a female connector. You only have the female connectors out."

CLERK:"Everything is there, ma'am."

ME: "Nope. You have a male connector bin and the parts in it are female connectors. Do you see any male connectors?"

CLERK: "How did you know know that? Are you an engineer?"

[Lisa F]

Been there before:

VISIT TO RADIO SHACK

ME: "I need a male connector and a female connector. You only have the female connectors out."

CLERK:"Everything is there, ma'am."

ME: "Nope. You have a male connector bin and the parts in it are female connectors. Do you see any male connectors?"

CLERK: "How did you know know that? Are you an engineer?"

I've heard from previous boyfriends that I am hard-headed and too independent. A few weeks ago, on my way to pick up the camper, I had a strange feeling...That for the first time in my life I felt like I couldn't do something, that I was in over my head... as I continued to Dallas, TX and on my way back to Lake Jackson (towing for the first time) it occured to me, I am not in over my head, this camper is going to make me stronger (and probably more independent) After learning my camper forward/backwards, some guy, one day, is going to be standing at the campsite with me, looking dumbfounded as I am setting up camp and all he'll be able to say is, "honey, is there anything I can do to help?" HA!

[Miriam]

I've heard from previous boyfriends that I am hard-headed and too independent. A few weeks ago, on my way to pick up the camper, I had a strange feeling...That for the first time in my life I felt like I couldn't do something, that I was in over my head... as I continued to Dallas, TX and on my way back to Lake Jackson (towing for the first time) it occured to me, I am not in over my head, this camper is going to make me stronger (and probably more independent) After learning my camper forward/backwards, some guy, one day, is going to be standing at the campsite with me, looking dumbfounded as I am setting up camp and all he'll be able to say is, "honey, is there anything I can do to help?" HA!

These are GREAT stories! I, too, can relate. All the interior remods in the trailer are done by yours truly. ( ) Didn't plan it that way. I just happened to find the renovations interesting, and it's not Richard's cuppa tea (I guess I have a higher tolderance for scraping crud off the sides of walls, etc.). Funny thing at the last RV show: People would turn to him and ask "how did you...?" Of course, he'd point out that I was the one that did the renos. Many times, they'd never turn to me to re-ask the question. Guess they don't want to be seen talking to a girl.

- Miriam

[Frederick L. Simson]

Suz, I'm always amazed at how some people can occupy the same physical space and time we're in and yet be in a totally different world.

Good job!

Rog

It is amazing how much truth there is to science fiction. Star Trek: Deep Space 9 addresses this issue when Cmdr. Sisko & Jadzea Dax have totally different experience of visiting the same planet together... I have used this as a metaphor in communicating something to Robert that is incongruous to me...

[Suz]

A few weeks ago, on my way to pick up the camper, I had a strange feeling...That for the first time in my life I felt like I couldn't do something, that I was in over my head... as I continued to Dallas, TX and on my way back to Lake Jackson (towing for the first time) it occured to me, I am not in over my head, this camper is going to make me stronger (and probably more independent) After learning my camper forward/backwards, some guy, one day, is going to be standing at the campsite with me, looking dumbfounded as I am setting up camp and all he'll be able to say is, "honey, is there anything I can do to help?" HA!

Yes, ma'am. Been there, for sure.

I don't know which is more fun to watch: Those that feel like they should do something to help or those who try to ignore you because they are afraid you'll ask for help!

Lisa, there's no doubt in my mind that you are correct. No doubt at all.

You go girl!

[Jana J]

I had a guy (friend) unhook my trailer from the car and immediately started asking for stuff to level with. I, being in shock, got them for him. he had that thing stable in nothing flat. Next time he and the trailer are in the same place I'm going to ask for a lesson. I'm just glad he didn't have to go to his trailer to get something I didn't have.

Then there was the time I needed a certain plug adaptor and the RV store couldn't figure out how to create the hook up as they didn't have the factory made arrangement. I found the two kinds I needed and hooked them together. He was still in dumb. But then my girl friend I was doing this for was right there with him.

[Benita]

And then we become guilty of that we accuse others of . . .

I congratulated the prior owners of my Fiber Stream on the stitching of my curtains and cushions. I told the Mrs she did a great job. She responded, "He did it all." Then the Mr proceeded to tell me how he salvaged their old bedspreads for the fabric and how he made the cushion templates.