See that amazing bathtub that’s situated inside a spacious bathroom? It’s a stock picture that I downloaded from the internet. The apartment in this story was only slightly larger than the bathroom pictured here. I used to give people the grand tour with these words, “Please take one step to the right. You are now in our dining area. Take one step forward. This is our kitchen. Take a step back to the left, and you will enter our lovely living room. Please take five steps forward and you’re now in our bedroom.” You get the idea. It was small, but we were happy. In reality, we were happier than I could ever possibly explain. Now, travel back with me to 1999.
May 1999
This is a G-rated blog, but an honest look at our adventures in marriage almost demands that I share this PG story. I am eighteen and Anna May is nineteen years old. Today we arrived home at our upstairs apartment for the first time as a married couple. We decided to take a bath (because…you know…romance). The bathroom is only slightly smaller than the average walk-in closet. We evidently put a bit too much water in the tub and it went out the overflow drain.
Moments later, someone was pounding on our door. This was odd because we have no friends. Quickly putting on a bathrobe, Anna May ran to the front door to find our downstairs neighbor, Dan, staring blankly at her. “Do you have a water problem ma’am?”, Dan awkwardly asked. “Excuse me?!”, my offended wife shouted, thinking he was suggesting that she was bloated. Uncomfortably, Dan continued, “Our entire apartment is flooded. Water is raining down from the ceiling. I think you have a water problem ma’am.” “Oh!”, Anna May exclaimed, her cheeks flushing red. “We were in the…I mean, I was in the tub…uh, and the water kept going down the overflow drain, so we…I mean I uh, kept running more water, and…” Barely containing his laughter, Dan walks away with a simple, “I think you should call the plumber.” It turns out that the pipe which connected to the overflow drain was rusted out and the water was pouring directly from our tub into Dan’s apartment. Who knew?
Life Lesson: Newlywed couples sometimes enter marriage with specific expectations of how things will go. The truth is that some aspects of early marriage can be embarrassing and awkward. Couples should embrace each season of life together, along with all that those seasons offer.
Pro-plumbing tip: It’s good to meet your neighbors before you flood their apartment.
Pro-plumbing tip #2: When you flood your neighbor’s apartment, it’s not necessary to supply details about why it’s flooded. Just call the plumber.