Measuring Twice

There is a fine line between our impulse to throw away something that isn’t working and our impulse to fix what isn’t working. Today, I found that same tape measure that hadn’t retracted sitting on another pile of other crap. Every time I saw the bent, crinkled metal tape, twisting and winding on a flat surface, I had the urge cut it up into small pieces and throw it in a bin.

I didn’t act on this, but I started wondering why this was the most satisfying solution in the moment. Why would I throw out something that has been very useful in the past?

That fucking tape measure is taking up useful space. With its space wasting brokenness, it is inefficient. I don’t have the space to fix stuff! Aw crap, the age old conundrum – to fix something you first have to fix something else so that you are able to have a space to fix something. Meaning there is always something unexpected to do before you are able to get to the thing you want to do. I recall there is a whole half hour episode of Malcom in the Middle explaining this concept.

So I fix the tape measure by taking it apart and winding it tighter so it won’t rub against the case the tape is wound into. This friction on the case works against the spring that is trying to retract the tape. The tape measure now retracts and works. It feels better to not have that angry feeling of wanting to throw out a useless item. Why did I even consider this important tool of Carpenters worldwide a throwaway item?

I have three tape measures in three different places. They are squirrelled away in the Junk Drawer, toolbox and truck tool box. I am so spoiled that I have THREE tape measures.

I think of Cuba and the sweet 50s Chevys that my Folks have in an album from a trip they took. They know in Cuba that if you don’t have that third Chevy (or even a matching chevy door handle), then you better fix the shit out of the one you can barely get parts for. You probably won’t eat or you’ll drop down the socio-economic scale, if you can’t keep that bugger running.