by Rupert Flagg

Created on: December 07, 2009

The dinner party you've planned for for months is just a few hours away. The potatoes are peeled and just as you started to place them in a pot on the stove you catch a sight out of the corner of your eye, You hubby eager to help is dumping all those potato peels down the sink and just as it crosses your mind to say "honey, those don't go there." You hear a click and that familiar dull hum of a garbage disposal that has had much too much to handle.

My precious husband turn the switch off and then on again. He turned it off again and turned to me, saying, "Sorry, just trying to help." I took a deep breath and hugged him. While I didn't have time for this or any other interruption, this was something that could be handled quickly and simply.

My dad, a chef, had took me under his wing at an early age. He taught me many things and unclogging a garbage disposal was one of the many useful things he taught me in the kitchen. Now I understand that for the purpose of this article, I should somehow make it long and drawn out to meet the word count, but I'll do that after I continue with my story.
I reached under the sink and unplugged the disposal. I cleared the peels I could see and put them into the trashcan behind me. (remember I have a word count to make). I then sent my hubby to bring me the mop and continued to clear the peels I could loosen with my fingers. Then using the handle end of the mop, I wedged it against the blade closest to me and pushed it counter-clock wise. This isn't hard, so I didn't have to push hard. I then reached under the disposal unit and found the little button, it can be red or white, depending on the brand of disposal you have and I pushed it. I re-plugged the unit and turned on the water.

I smiled at my hubby and said, "You can do the honors." He smiled back and flipped the switch to on and there again was that familiar whirring sound he'd expected to hear moments before. He smiled, and kissed my forehead, "all of this and she's beautiful too!" I smiled and checked the heat under the potatoes.
There are many other more complicated ways that many a man would use, but the method my dad taught me all those years ago, is by far the one I've used most. The next one is to just buy a new disposal. Dad's way was proactive, take care of your kitchen tools, they will take care of you. Don't put anything into the disposal smaller than your elbow, no wait, that doesn't sound right. Of, course that would mean that my dad was a character.

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