So, I’m sitting here in the studio, minding my own business, and what should I hear but a-knocking at my door.
It’s Pat from Heath Consultants, and guess what. It’s time to replace my gas meter. For free.
Mind you, Heath Consultants (under contract with Southwest Gas) isn’t making this offer out of the goodness of its corporate heart. There’s a safety issue and here it is:
Old gas meters tend to leak, and that can be deadly. I speak from personal experience on this point — my mother used to be the assistant safety director for Peoples Natural Gas in Pittsburgh.
Mom also did the work of her boss, a drunk who had the safety director’s job because he was related to one of the company’s top guys. She also had to leave her job when I came along.
All I can say is, Peoples Natural Gas, anytime you want to pay my mother for handling two jobs instead of one, she would be happy to receive your check. And I sure hope that you now have a maternity leave policy, because you lost a very good employee.
Okay, so we took a detour from safety to sexism. Now, let’s head over to my side yard for the gas meter replacement.
First, it’s away with the old meter…
Before installing the new meter, the line leading to it from the Southwest Gas system needs to be tested. So does the line going into my house. Testing 1,2,3…
Looks like some water meter replacement yoga is in order…
Safety testing is done, the meter is connected to the gas lines. Now it’s time for a fresh application of oh-so-trendy gray paint. Who says that gas meters can’t make a fashion statement?
Foodie Tip: Pat’s family is from Thailand, and I don’t know about you, but I’ve never met a Thai meal that I didn’t like. Turns out that Pat’s aunt owns the Thai China Bistro on Grant Road near Rosemont Avenue. Looks like I’ll have to add another stop on my bike tour of Tucson’s Thai restaurants.