Just Let It Go

The stress has driven me to my breaking point. I’ve done my best to maintain my inner strength throughout the years, but enough is enough. Even the strongest of us max out eventually and I’m no exception. Of course I didn’t start out thinking like this.

My first day on the job was filled with anxious anticipation. Could I handle the pressure? Would I be able to support the weight? Will all my parts function the way they were designed to? How many times per day will I be expected to do my job without a hitch? Yes, there were a lot of questions, but I have an important profession. If I were to fail, the results could be catastrophic. I knew all this but felt I was up for the task. Now I’m not so sure.

It's amazing how fast fifteen years fly by. I’ve gone from being the new kid to the senior citizen as one by one the other members of the building have been replaced. The first to go was the garbage disposal. The poor guy never stood a chance. Along with regular table scraps he needed to grind up, the inconsiderate humans were constantly tossing all sorts of cutlery and plastic utensils into him as well. His blades were tough but not impervious to carelessness.

The next item to be replaced was the refrigerator. It’s true, they are more resilient than the ones built in the old days and there is no more manual defrosting required, but they still run 24/7. Nothing, except for a clock, can stay functional on that schedule. It did its due diligence, remained loyal throughout its life, but all things came to an end and that included my friend the fridge. The replacement is as much computer as refrigerator which means that more will go wrong with it.

There was a couple I met only once as they were being delivered called washer and dryer. They hang out in the basement and usually work one day per week. Their importance varies depending on how many items of clothing got dirty the previous week. Unlike me and the stove, who are indispensable for everyday living, they can always be replaced by a trip to the laundromat if one or both of them die unexpectedly. Similar to a vacuum cleaner or a toaster, the washer and dryer are nice to have around, but they belong ranked on the second tier of important items.

In case some of you have yet to work out who I am let me help you figure out the puzzle. You use me multiple times a day and your life would be much less pleasant without me and my kind. Although I am of great importance, I remain the most overlooked and undervalued apparatus in the world. People make use of my services and then promptly ignore me.

It is only when I require specialized maintenance that my true value is appreciated. Imagine what your home would be like if for some reason my seals and gaskets started to leak, allowing water to flow throughout the entire second floor. As inconvenient as that might be, suppose I lost my ability to stop the sewage and odors from backflowing into the bathroom.

By now you must have worked out that I am your toilet, and why might you ask, am I taking all this time to call attention to myself? Remember at the beginning of our conversation I said that stress had driven me to my breaking point. That wasn’t an idle statement. My dried-out gaskets along with your excessive weight has brought me to my breaking point. The water seeping around my base will be your only warning. Good Luck!