I really thought I could fix the pvc pipe that became disconnected from the trap beneat my sink. I have absolutely no-confidence in myself as a do-it-yourselfer. But, we needed to use the sink and it looked as simple as sticking the two pieces back-together.
My background includes nothing of this sort. I had no dad around to show me and my uncles, well, they had their own kids. I felt left behind with that kind of thing.
When I emptied out the cupboard beneath the sink, I crawled under. I looked at each piece and tried to size up the situation. It didn't seem complicated. I kept asking myself what I'm missing. I would join the two pieces and they would come apart again. Keep in mind that they had been joined together for the more than ten years we had lived there.
I used every neuron in my brain that had been developing over six decades. The two would not stick together. I've tried home repairs before and I seemed to have a similar outcome.
That's when the tapes started playing in my head. I could hear them plainly. "You're stupid. You're a shithead. I'm an asshole. This shit should be simple and I can't even do that."
Then I started to vocalize my feelings about what I tried and failed at. The air started to turn blue.
The problem was that my son was in the living room and he heard me. This added to my personal humiliation over something that anybody should be able to do. I made myself look smaller in my grown son's eyes.
I'm sure he doesn't know how to do it either. I never showed him because I never learned. He has a pretty good self-concept though and he knows where his strengths are.
He loves me, I know, regardless of whether I can hook two pipes together. He's a great guy who loves unconditionally.
A lesson for all the do-it-yourself guys and dads out there: Pass it on to your sons and other young guys. What a great project for guys in a church. In my church where I went every Sunday with my mom, I don't think the adult guys even knew my name.
For my grandson, learn everything you can from you dad and your other grandfather. Make use of their knowledge. I know they want to share it.
