So,
let me ask you: What items in your house are so important or valuable
that you must always be in possession of at least two?
As
a surface scratcher, I’ll direct your attention to batteries and
orange juice, sweatshirts and flash drives. None of those are
going to make a list of the top five most important items in every
house. (At least not if someone is taking such a list seriously,
and not looking to earn points for creativity or being influenced
because the smoke alarm is beeping.) But no one likes being forced
to go to the store because they ran out of orange juice… no one
likes reaching for a sweatshirt only to find it’s still with the
dirty laundry.
When
it comes to some things, really simple, it’s always wise to have
a spare.
And
yet, what strikes me as wise and obvious is likely not going to
be the same as your wise and obvious.
My
thoughts on the subject began floating around a few months ago.
I was opening a can of beets so I could add them to a salad. Reached
into the drawer, grabbed a can opener, and it was broken. That
discovery was quickly followed by another moment of awareness,
which was that there was not a second can opener nearby.
As
I began opening drawers and cabinets, and then continuing while
I walked around the house to search all sorts of possible kitchen
gadget storage places, I was muttering to myself. Basically—curse
words removed—I was trying to figure out how it could be possible
that I didn’t have a second can opener in the house. I would have
accepted even some cheap one that everyone hates but you decide
not to throw away and toss in a junk drawer.
Nope.
Nothing.
So,
I ordered one. And, I ordered a second. I was not going to be
caught without a backup again. While it’s the thing fresh on my
mind, it isn’t the only thing around this house in pairs. I imagine
there are a few at your house as well.
Some
people have multiple refrigerators.
Part
of it is necessity, and I get that. Storage.
But
some folks have two to support extreme situations. They don’t
run it all the time. But if a special event is coming up, and
they need a place to store additional beverages, a few side dishes
and a couple of desserts, that backup fridge comes in handy.
I
keep a backup lawn mower.
Every
place Terry and I have ever resided at with a lawn has involved
some interesting challenges. Used to be dirt and rocks. Now it’s
drainage ditches. Bent blades and other assorted issues are the
norm, and often have led to significant downtime for a mower.
So, if the old one needs replacing but could still be used if
needed… you get it… find some space and hold on to it.
Woman
I know has a backup bottle of chardonnay. She brings it into the
rotation, but always replaces it. Keeps it off to the side and
out of sight. So, when she glances over and knows she needs to
pick some up, if she forgets or can’t get to it, she’s ok for
a day or two. It’s always there, but not there.
Another
person I know keeps a spare container of gas. Story here involves
his kids getting their driver’s licenses. He got up one morning,
went to the driveway running late and needing to drive about fifty
miles, and found both his car and his wife’s with the lights and
the gauges reading below empty. That was not how he or his wife
left them the evening before. Not sure if he’d make it even a
few miles to the gas station, he was saved by three gallons off
to the side for the mower. But, since he was still late for his
meeting, and the kids left the tanks empty again a week later,
he decided having a bit more gas in the garage was a wise idea.
Lawn
mower.
Chardonnay.
Gas.
To
help out. To entertain. To avoid kicking the children out of the
house. There are plenty of reasons why having something in reserve
is a great decision to make.
(And
a can opener. Seriously, it’s not even a buck for a cheap one.
Don’t get caught without a spare can opener.)