Community storybook
Mark and the Drip
Community storybook: Mark and the Drip — 2
On Tuesday night, Mark sat at his kitchen table with a bowl of cereal and a stack of invoices he hadn’t filed.
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Drip. Drip. Drip.
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He opened the cabinet under the sink. A thin line of water ran down the back wall and pooled on the warped floor. The wood felt soft, and a sour, damp smell rose into the air.
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Mark put a bucket underneath the drip and went to bed.
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Two days later, a plumber looked at the pipe. “I can be back in two weeks,” he said.
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“Two weeks?” asked Mark. “I’m booked until then.”
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At last, the plumber returned. He worked under the sink for an hour and handed Mark a receipt for $1,400. “It’s fixed,” he said confidently.
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Three days later, the cabinet was wet again. A neighbor recommended another contractor.
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He peered under the sink and shook his head. “The first repair didn’t solve the problem,” he said. “I can do it properly.”
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Mark felt hopeful. He paid the contractor $3,200.
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The contractor worked and worked. When he left, Mark took the bucket away.
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Three days later, the cabinet was wet again. “Oh, drip,” said Mark. He put the bucket back.
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The third company sent someone to look. She crouched beside the cabinet with a flashlight.
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“May I run the tap?” she asked.
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Mark turned it on. The flashlight beam followed the water to a joint hidden behind the pipe.
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“There,” she said. “I’ll need to order a part for that.”
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While they waited, Mark emptied the bucket each morning.
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At night, he listened to the little drips plop into it.
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When the part arrived, the plumber fitted it and dried the cabinet. Mark held the flashlight while she ran the tap. No drip.
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They filled the sink. They let the water swirl down. Mark knelt to check the joint. Still dry.
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A few days later, Mark opened the cabinet again. He touched the wood. Dry!
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He set his cereal on the table and pulled the invoices into a neat stack. Then he heard a tiny plop.
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Mark hurried to the sink. On the windowsill, a drop of water had fallen from his plant’s leaf onto its saucer.
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Mark smiled and fetched the watering can. The plant’s soil looked thirsty.