On Friday I rushed home after school to meet with the service man from my heating oil company. It was just my regularly scheduled tune-up. I almost canceled it because I had so recently had another guy here to put modeling clay in the burn chamber of my boiler.
I’m glad I didn’t cancel it. The guy that came on Friday discovered little oil stalactites on the bottom of my oil tank. Apparently, after 50 or 60 years, heating oil eats its way through storage tanks. And my tank is old. And it’s starting to leak in slow motion. First the oil weeps through and dries to form stalactites. Then a hole breaks open and the contents of your oil storage tank drain all over the floor of your basement. Yay!
I spoke with an estimate guy yesterday. He was trying to be nonchalant about it, but he had the same fear in his eyes as the repair guy did. I think I’ll be doing this as soon as possible. They have a 30 day no interest thing. Since today is payday, I think I can swing it. But I won’t be making my first quarterly tax payment anytime soon. And I won’t have disposable income until June. Dang. Well, at least I’m still in school. I don’t have much need of an entertainment budget for now.
First of all – great title.
Second, you’re going to replace that thing just so it can be replaced again in 2060 or 2070? Outrageous. Of course, by that time, all our heating will come from alien technology.
Heh.
I thought it was a reference to all the oil in the Gulf that’s just being burned off and that your oil tank was sad about the inevitable increase in oil costs…
But then I remembered. You are Brad.
Any visible stalagmites? You could consider opening your home as a Balto. Attraction…Evergreen Caverns.
(I got nothing)
No stalagmites. Any oil that hits the floor becomes an oil stain. There were a couple of them on the floor, but no puddles yet, thank goodness.
Condolences, sir. At least the weather is such you needn’t rely on the furnace for comfort right now. Could always be worse (homage to Garrison Keillor). Let us know if we need to bring over casseroles for your dinner or something until the repairs are paid for.