I think the best monetary investment I’ve made since moving down to DC is in my microwave. I’ve had the damn thing since 1998. There’s no other piece of electronics in this apartment that’s lasted that long, other than maybe a few watches missing their bands.
I bought it the first day I moved into this apartment. After my uncle had helped me move my shit into this place, I immediately took off for Sears, back out in Bethesda, where the day had started. At the time, it was the only place I was aware of that sold such large appliances. I was pretty excited. There was something so empowering and adult about buying a microwave. (yes, I have been a geek for a long time).
I picked out a reasonably sized one. Didn’t really think I needed the one’s large enough to dry laundry in. They sent me around to the back of the store — literally — to the pick-up counter. A ridiculous amount of time later, someone brought out my new thing.
The back of Sears, out at Montgomery Mall, is sort of around the corner, 90 degrees from the bus stop. I’m no small person, for sure, but even so, it was a pretty large box. Not heavy… just unwieldy. But now that I had it, I needed to get it home. And my only option was public transit. Of course, as I rounded the corner, I noticed the bus was already sitting there, loading passengers. I have no idea how, but I managed, carrying this box as big as my upper half, to jog across a mall parking lot. I have this picture in my mind of the little kid with a school bag three times his size, trying to run.
I wrestled it onto the bus, and apologized to each passenger who couldn’t get by me. I must have transferred to the subway at some point, but I don’t even remember how I navigated the escalators. From the subway, I would have had to carry it at least another 5 or 6 blocks to my apartment.
I’m a notorious saver of boxes. I always feel as if I may need it again, should I decide to sell or ship an item. But as soon as the microwave came out of the box, the box went into the trash. Well… you know… once I figured out where the trash room was. This was still my first day in the new apartment.
The microwave fit perfectly on my counter. It always sits in the same place. I’ve used it every day, without fail, I’m sure. Always works exactly as expected.
A good buy.
I sat back to rest and try to watch Hercules on a really scratchy channel, before I started to unpack.