Drowning The Adding Machine

Everyday I drive off to work so that I can sit in front of a computer and play with numbers all day. To the right of my computer is the adding machine and telephone. When needed and without looking, I can just let my hand wander over to the adding machine to make the keys clickity clack.

Because I’ve had a rough time getting rid of the germ that I caught, I was still nauseated on Monday. Instead of drinking strictly water, I decided to have an herbal tea with sugar to settle my stomach. It usually works and probably would have worked faster except that something happened.

I took a sip of the drink and somehow as I was setting the bottle down, it slipped and half the contents was dumped into the keys of my adding machine and telephone.

The liquid seeped into the cracks between the keys.

I grabbed both machines and flipped them upside down watching as the drink came pouring out.

Oh. My. Goodness.

It was a mess.

If I had only spilled water, it wouldn’t have been so bad, but this was sugary, sticky liquid. I used a billion paper towels to soak up the drink. Yes, a billion. Then I tilted both machines upside down and on one corner to drain. They also needed to completely dry to prevent them shorting out when I used them again.

Of course, I had to use cleaner to get all the sticky off my desk. It took forever to clean everything. Yes, forever.

Both the adding machine and telephone were completely dry today, so it was time to try them out.

The telephone was fine. I guess not as much sugary liquid got inside the phone.

The adding machine…well, it suffered. It still works, but when I press down on the 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 buttons, they s.l.o.w.l.y. come back up from the pressed position.

I mean s.l.o.w.l.y.

(rolling my eyes)

Mom’s suggestion was to dump cleaner into the keys. I think she is trying to fry my adding machine because she hates numbers. I just know that is her secret desire. (wink)

I kept using the adding machine today and the keys weren’t quite as sticky by the end of the day, but they are still s.l.o.w. popping back up.

How do you think I feel about all this mess?

It is hilarious. I’m always having crazy stuff like this happen to me, so I guess I’m just used to it. Besides, no need to do anything other than laugh. I can’t go back and make it un-happen!

Lessons learned:

1. Even when children are twenty years old, they still give you germs. Avoid sick children. LOL
2. In order for herbal tea to calm a nauseated stomach, you have to drink the liquid. Pouring the liquid on your adding machine and telephone doesn’t have the same effect.
3. Now I know exactly how all those “stuck” keys on other people’s equipment happened!
4. SHARP makes a great adding machine because you can drown it without it dying.

Moral of the story: Learn to laugh at yourself. It will make your life happier.