Perfect

Found only in the Allan Gardens: red-tailed black squirrel

About six years ago, we ended our contractual relationship - we thought amicably - with Dave our cleaning guy. Evidently Dave thought differently. He would not return our key.

Without further ado, we changed our locks. We opted for top-of-the-line technology that would let us keep the same lock but change the key up to four times. We had these installed on the basement, back and front doors. 

The back and basement doors have never given us trouble, but because it is most fiercely exposed to the elements and because the door hangs a bit crooked in its frame, we have had to call in service on the front door lock two or three times in the past six years.

Most recently, when I turned the key in the lock on Monday, I heard a "bang" on the other side of the door. The deadbolt knob had slipped off its peg. It looked like it had lost its set screw and I couldn't find that anywhere.

So I called the lock company.

A nice young woman, whose name I learned was Courtney, answered the phone. I gave her my name and explained my situation.

"Perfect," she said. "We can get Vlad out today."

Assuming Vlad was the repair technician, I quickly added that Friday would be better.

"Perfect," she said.

I gave her my address.

"Perfect," she said. "What's your phone number?"

I gave her my number.

"Perfect," she said.

I found all this positive feedback encouraging. 

Courtney asked when would be the best time for Vlad to come by. I explained Bruce would be home all day, so, whenever.

"Perfect," said Courtney. "But when?"

I threw out my opening bid. "9:00 a.m.?"

9:00 a.m. was not perfect. The earliest Vlad could show up was 11:00 a.m.

"That will work," I said.

"Perfect," said Courtney.

There was more to the conversation, but you get the picture. 

I have remarked in other posts how once high-calibre words such as icon, avatar and war have been, through overuse and lazy locution, upended and drained of meaning. 

"Perfect" could be the next candidate, except that it has never meant anything.

I'm more worried about another overused, once high-calibre word, the one that now describes everything from a community of similarly-qualified professionals, to a collection of factories, to a sector of the economy, to any kind of system, to the world as we know it: "ecosystem."

Thanks for reading!

Have a great week!

Karen

P.S. Vlad came and fixed the lock, at 11:00 a.m. as promised. The set screw was not "lost." Rather, it is permanently set within the deadbolt knob, but you need a special, tiny Allen key to turn it when it comes loose. After reattaching the knob, and charging Bruce $150.00, Vlad gave us our very own tiny Allen key. 

Perfect.