Talented Characters

Yesterday I stretched myself a little.

The stretching exercise involved the garbage disposal, which spitefully kicked the bucket on New Year's Day, following a visit by my husband's family.

I grabbed the phone number of the appliance repairman to throw myself on his mercy.

My husband, on the other hand, was intrigued. What was wrong with the garbage disposal? "Look--there's something lodged in there," he said. "Can you get me some pliers?"

I gave him a dubious look. Were pliers the ...