Buying an Iron

I wasn’t buying an iron. Barbara was. The iron in the photo I had purchased in 1993 at Ferney Voltaire in Champion, one of those big stores where employees know next to nothing about the products.

I now buy all my French products at Groschen, a place owned by two brothers. They know me well, but never remind me of the time I told them the spin cycle on my washer didn’t work and during their repair visit, calmly and without mocking me, suggested if I pushed in the button it would work. Likewise, when one brother installed the air-conditioner/heating unit and I was in agony with a bad back, they considered it routine to help me stand when a trip to the bathroom was necessary and left by giving me a cup of tea.

Thus it was normal we would go there for my new frigo and Barbara’s new iron.
I consider ironing a necessary evil and I do admit to ironing things like pjs because they feel better against my skin. Any old steam iron will do. Barbara on the other hand uses her professionally when she makes her wonderful clothes for sale in her boutique. She needs more out of an iron.

The owner pointed out the pros and cons of the different models, larger holes, smaller holes, placement of the holes, calcaire retention possibilities, pressure (something neither of us knew existed despite decades of ironing. In fact the pressure was written on the iron. Nor did he steer her to the most expensive. Instead by determining what she needed, he steered her to the one that was right for her.

When it came time to discuss my frigo, I am sure he considered the horrible stairs that his delivery boy would have to maneuver, but the concern was not the kid’s back, but my concern that it offer the most environmentally friendly one possible. He knows my preference for half-sized frigos. I only need the two shelves, a mini freezer (which usually holds the overflow from Barbara’s freezer), and the door storage space. I want it no higher than just below the bust line because I place my mini oven on it. He knew the history of the different brands, and laughed when I rejected American Whirlpool for a German brand. Probably both were made in China anyway so probably the quality won't be any better.