Late yesterday afternoon, a woman had a can of paint taken from one of our Lowe’s stores in Abilene.
And I found the culprit.
For context, you might want to refer back to my post, “I Can’t Fix Stuff.”
After work, I ran to Lowe’s to get a gallon of paint for my storage shed. While the paint was being mixed, I disappeared down an aisle to find a roller. As I returned, the kind man said, “Your paint is on the counter.” So I grabbed it, came home, and rolled it on.
Just as I got to the bottom of the bucket, I saw the words “interior paint.” Not good. I had explicity asked for exterior paint. I couldn’t believe they’d given me the wrong can.
But, knowing myself and my “fix-it” history as I do, another possibility popped into my mind. I called Lowes, asked for the paint department, and spoke to a kind young woman there.
“Has anyone reported a missing can of paint this afternoon?”
“Actually, yes. We mixed a can of interior paint for a woman, but then when she returned we couldn’t find it.”
“I think I found it. I got the wrong gallon by mistake.”
“Don’t worry — that happens all the time,” she lied. “Just bring it back in.”
“Now the bad news. I’ve already put the whole gallon on.”
“Didn’t you notice that it was the wrong color?”
“Well, both cans of paint fell into my VERY broad category called ‘tan,’” I explained.
I think I could hear her muffling a laugh.
I feel your pain.
God bless,
Ken Hines
Oh, that is a great story. Can I come by to see the paint job?
I, too, feel your pain, Mike. I cannot fix anything and any job I undertake will inevitably lead to numerous frustrations, extra trips to Home Depot, my wife smiling, and a normally two minute job for any Mister Handyman ends up taking two hours for me… sigh… glad to know I’m not alone… we need a group…
That’s great. Now I’m ready to hear the end of the story. Have you hired a painter to finish the job?:)
That is SO funny, and so great that you would share that with all of us! It is in our weaknesses we are made strong. ; )
Some months ago, I was disgruntled when the paint on a newly installed back porch door started flaking/peeling off just barely more than 2 weeks after installation. I went and grabbed the can of paint I had carefully had mixed. The color was a perfect match (I would call it some kind of light cream or beige, but the paint company says it’s a shade of white), but it was interior paint.
I probably would have noticed a difference in smell and consistency right away. I’ve painted quite a bit over the years. You’ve got a job ahead of you now.
I now have a matching can of carefully mixed, EXTERIOR paint. BOTH cans are labelled boldly in multiple locations as to which one is interior, and which one is exterior.
I have a paint scraper if you need it
Whew! I’m glad I’m not the only one who does those sort of things. And painting…not fun!
Blessings Bro!
mike
I am still laughing over here next door…:) Just another story to add to our fun memories!
Becky - I broke the RULE OF DIANE: I am not allowed to do ANY kind of home repair unless Dickie is nearby.
Also . . . just get on your tip-toes and look over the fence, Becky. Tell me that isn’t pretty darn close to the right color!
I’m giggling like crazy. Let us all thank God that you only tried to paint and not, say, rewire the attic or you might be writing to us about your most recent burning bush encounter.
My dad was very much a Mister Fix-It. My brothers and I seem to have inherited a good portion of it. But no number of years with my dad managed to impart that ability to my poor mother. (She habitually injures herself on things that one would think safe for an infant, so…)
I’ll pray for God either to increase your industrial skills or to give you the brains to call someone else. ^_^
Mike is the only dude in Abilene with a storage shed painted Sunset Cocoa.
Mike, great story. I have had a rough week and when I came home and read your story, I started laughing and couldn’t stop. Thanks. I really needed that.
I had to link back to your original confession of “I can’t fix stuff” and I, like Tammy’s mom, have gotten fairly handy with a screwdriver out of necessity (unfortunately, most of my home fix-it needs require a Ph.D. in plumbing that I haven’t gotten — yet). It made me think of a story an elder at a former congregation would tell on himself that he and his wife were standing in Lowe’s purchasing doors to put on their closet. Lowe’s dude was explaining to him how to install them. Elder finally stopped him and said, “What are you telling me for? She’s the one who’s going to install them!” And he wasn’t kidding even a little bit! It’s a humble man that can admit that — and that will tell the world-wide-web that he just painted his exterior with interior paint. I’m sure she was being honest: it probably happens all the time!
Too bad our 2 year old grandson was not around to help…before he was a year old he would point to Lowe’s every time we passed by and beg in his own way to go inside. Some of his first words were in answer to the question, “What does Lowe’s have?” to which he would respond, “TOOLS!” Yesterday his daddy asked what he wanted for lunch, and he said, “Watch Norm” [Norm Abrams on TV...fix-it guy!]
TAN? TAN?
Surely you mean “Winter Wheat” or “Warm Brown Sugar” Perhaps “Caramel Macchiato”
I’d love to hear Diane’s take on this paint story.
Repaint you thinner!
LOL. Comment award goes to Eddy.
Sounds like the time I put on a gallon paint only to discover it was primer. Let’s just say it was a “rut-row moment.”
From a guy who can fix far too many things, I envy you. My life would be far less stressful if I could just tell my wife, “I’m sorry, Honey, but I don’t have a clue how to fix that.” The up side of it all is that I have a lot of really cool tools!
Hey, is this a problem with boys from Neosho? Steve could tell you a list of things like that.
I wanted to make you aware of myperfectcolor.com untill now if someone wanted to sample a color they would have to either buy a quart or choose from limited color choices available in jars or pouches. As a third generation paint store in NJ we got tired of this so we invented a pint size can for any color. We also can make any color from that we match from any brand using Benjamin Moore paints. We ship all samples to your door fast. when you get a chance please check us out. http://www.myperfectcolor.com
Here are some of the brands you can see on http://www.MyPerfectColor.com
Behr™
Benjamin Moore™
C2™
Cabot™
California Paints™
Color Guild™
Color Your World™
Coronado Paints™
Devine Color™
Devoe & Fuller™
Disney™
Donald Kaufman™
Dulux™
Dunn Edwards™
Duron™
Dutch Boy™
Eddie Bauer™
Finnaren & Haley™
Fuller OBrien™
Glidden™
ICI™
Janovic™
Kelly Moore™
Laura Ashley™
Martha Stewart™
Martin Senour Paints™
Pittsburgh Paints™
Porter Paints™
Pratt & Lambert™
Premier Paints™
Ralph Lauren™
Restoration Hardware™
Sears™
Sherwin Williams™
Sico™
True Value™
Valspar™
Waverly™
That stuff drives me crazy.
http://www.matthewsblog.waynesborochurchofchrist.org
Mike–this is not your fault. I’m cluing in on her statement: “this happens all the time.” How about putting some names on those paint buckets, Lowe?! And I’m the same with colors, too. I yield all color decisions to my wife.
RPorche