Claudia Sharp, Planned Outage Coordinator

The family compound of my youth was fitted with gas lights which had been supplanted by electricity some time before my birth.  I was never treated to their charm.

I assume rural electrification came to our pleasant little town soon thereafter.  Judging by the number of power outages we have endured since our arrival, however, it appears very little has been done over the years to improve the service.

On Friday, in accordance with a letter received earlier, the power to our home was shut down from 8:45 am to 12:30 pm to "repair equipment."  I find it curious that there is a "planned outage coordinator."  You would think that after all these years the only outages would be emergency in nature.  After all, it's an established technology, and even the local high school is presently hiring a "technology specialist."  What might he do?  Educate the children to keep the power flowing without interruption?

One encouraging aspect of the letter:  The only reference written in Spanish said, "Para ayuda en espagnol por favor llame al 1-800-XXX-XXXX."  We still live in America around here; let the English illiterate call for the information.

P.S.  Numbering will be suspended until #1100, if I live that long.