Rose is Rose by Don Wimmer and Pat Brady for March 27, 2013

Wouldn’t do that, Rose. Get mad at one electrical appliance (say, the toaster). It tells its brethren and sistren appliances (the tv, the clock radio, the hair dryer) who begin to malfunction in subtle yet annoying ways: an alarm fails to wake you in the morning, the water heater will refuse to produce anything above tepid for your shower, the hair dryer makes a funny smell, all of this cascading to make what was already a late day for work, appointments, or errands even worse. If you are angry enough at a smaller appliance often enough, the ‘family’ may also involve the car, the A/C unit, or the refrigerator. Even the battery-operated appliances stand in solidarity: ever notice how the remote controls die or the smoke alarm will chirp at three am, even though you KNOW you put in brand-new, out of the plastic batteries a week ago. All this because you hurt the electric can opener’s feelings long ago. They know. And they remember. And they wait patiently. Very patiently.