The Belt

Sometimes we tend to get a bit defensive when our intelligence is questioned and do and say some things we regret later. Remember even old dogs can occasionally learn new tricks. Here’s the story.

 

.
The Belt

 

Last Christmas in 2013, my daughter Tamara gave me a present which turned out to be a high tech belt. The belt had notches on the inside which slid through the buckle and latched when you pulled it tight. It was made out of some kind of really tough synthetic material. When I pulled it out of the box, the buckle was attached, so I put it on and the latching notches on the inside of the belt were in the wrong place and I could not tighten the belt. I thought, surely she didn’t think I was that porky. I called her and told her I liked the belt but it would not pull tight because I ran out of the notched area before it got tight. She said.. ” Dad you’re not doing it right, I’ll send you some instructions.” That kind of rubbed me the wrong way so I informed her that I had a degree in mechanical engineering and said … “Do you think I’m Stupid?” And we both hung up.

 

I received an eMail from Tamara with a link to instructions for the belt, but I was too Bull Headed to check it out, so I ignored it. Later she called and asked if I had read the instructions and I told her no. She kind of got loud and told me in no uncertain words that I needed to read the instructions.

 

Dad, you’re not listening to me.

 

 

I didn’t read the instructions, but her insistence got me to wondering if indeed I had missed something. So, I picked up the belt and looked again. I had originally thought the buckle was sewed to the belt, but closer inspection indicated that it may indeed be attached with an internal clamp. I fooled with it for a while and the buckle released from the belt. I could see now that all I had to do was to cut four inches off the buckle end of the belt and it would fit fine. I did and it fit perfectly and it has been by far the best belt I have ever owned.

 

Although I never did read the instructions, I certainly wish that I would have as I had to eat crow and apologize to Tamara. I sent her an email which she probably has framed on the wall for the time she got the best of the Old Man.

 

A bit of advise to all of you retired engineers out there. Don’t get too cocky thinking you’re always right because you have a fifty year old degree. Times, they are a changin.

I still love you Dad, even if you are Bull Headed sometimes

Thanks for reading The Belt

Bill