It takes two

Whenever I make a quick trip out to get something I need, it seems I always have to make a second trip.

I needed a new 3-way switch/socket for a Mission-style lamp I made about 15 years ago. The lamp is used daily in our living room and the switch was getting wonky. No problem, since I built the lamp I knew exactly what I needed and headed out to my local hardware monger to get a replacement.

As you’ve probably guessed from my opening sentence, it wasn’t the right kind of 3-way switch, necessitating another trip. I needed the kind with two circuits, and the one I got was the kind that uses a 3-way bulb.

Yeah, yeah I should have taken the bad switch with me. But in my defense, the bin with the sockets only stated “3-way switch,” and they were all sealed in bags with no way to see the terminals so taking it with me wouldn’t have helped. Plus, they only had the one bin anyway. My second trip, then, had to be to a different store to get the right kind.

This happens with a lot of things, but usually due to poor planning. Sometimes, I’m already at the store and suddenly remember something I needed. The trouble is that I never remember how much or how many I needed, so I invariably get too much (requiring a second trip to take the extras back) or not enough (requiring a second trip to get more).

On the plus side, I don’t get out of the shop enough anyway.

A.J.