You know, I don’t think there are too many new stories out there, only different names and stupid jokes by the writers. That being what it is, see if you remember this one as I try to camouflage the incidentals.

Once upon a time there was a customer that called his local heating and cooling company to register a no heat call. The responsible contractor quickly dispatched a technician to the home to remedy the problem. After arriving at the home, exchanging the required pleasantries and donning the standard blue booties, the serviceman inquired about the problem. “Well, it’s not that we don’t have any heat, it’s just doesn’t work like it used to. The heat comes up for a minute or two, and then shuts off before the house gets warm, then other times it comes up and won’t shut off at all until its eighty five in here!” “Alright, let me go take a look and see what I can find” said the confident tech, as he descended into oblivion (err, the basement).

After more than an hour, he reappeared in the kitchen to again speak to the homeowner. “Your furnace seems to be running fine. I cycled it on and off about four times without any problem. The air temperature is good, the zone dampers all work as they should, and your gas pressure is fine. Is there anything that you’ve changed in your home recently?” “Well, let’s see, last month we painted the boys’ room, and yesterday we bought this painting of a horse holding a deck of cards in his mouth. Other than that I think everything is the same. Oh wait, towels, yes, yes, we bought new towels for the bathroom.”

“Hmmm, that’s probably not it. Can I see your thermostat please?” requested the befuddled heating man. “Hmmmph” shrugged the mechanically challenged homeowner, “Yeah, if we can find it! My brother-in-law put in one of those new wireless thermostats that you can carry around like a TV remote, and now the twins like to hide it. You know five year olds, last week we found it in the refrigerator! Oh,…wait,…do you think that could have something to do with it?” Ahhh could be; that’ll be a $173, plus tax please.