* The Black Hole

It all began innocently enough. Setting: Sunday afternoon...mad dash to pick up a skein of yarn and ink for the printer. (Grandson is writing a research paper...and it can't print out in rainbow colors because we are out of black ink.) As I am approaching Office Depot, I realize that I don't remember the number of the two cartridges, so I wing it and buy what I "think" will work. I have this bad feeling that these don't look right....so....

I call home, no answer. Coach is visiting his mother, so I head to store for yarn and after the purchase, head back to OD. Sitting in Office Depot's parking lot, I make the call. This time he answers. Those of you who are regular readers know that the Coach thinks that computers are the devil's spawn, so I gave exact instructions as to which machine on the desk is in fact the printer.

1. Go into Grandson's room.
2. Face the desk and look at the printer. The desk contains several books, a monitor and the printer.
(He asks if the thing on the right is what he's supposed to be looking at...oh, boy, here we go.)
3. I tell him to gently raise the top and he will see glass. I hear the top go up.
("So? What now?" he questions. )
4. Put the top back down and this time, lift the entire top up...I instruct. You should see the inside of the printer.
("Wait, I need my glasses," he reasons. ) Thump, thump..back with glasses. At this point I hear something that sounds like the hood of a car going up. Houston, we have a problem.
5. What's wrong? I inquire.
("I need a flashlight, he replies.") Wait, what? A flashlight? You don't need the flashlight! Where is he? Thump, thump...he's back with flashlight. I am sitting in the parking lot of OD hearing my Lexmark printer being ravaged. "Stop, stop," I yell..."what are you doing?"
6. "There's nothing here but a black hole and a white strip of plastic," he says lamely.
7. All I need are the numbers of the cartridges...why, why, why? "Do you see two little plastic things that are pushed down? If you do, the number of the cartridge is printed on top!"
8. "No, all I see is a black hole." #*@ (that was my quote, not his.)
All of a sudden he says, "I see the number on the outside of the printer...it's Lexmark X6570!"
9. Hallelujah! The Eagle has landed! "That's fine, I can use that," I say quietly.

Relieved, I return the wrong cartridges and get a refund of 32 cents. All's well that ends well.
I am considering knee replacement. Do you think there is a chance one of you could be "on call" when I come home?

Enjoy the rest of your weekend,