We’re a throw away society. If something breaks or grows old it goes out with the trash so it can be replaced by something new and shiny.
The idea that anything can be fixed faded into history a long time ago. Whether or not an item holds any value, or even some special memory, doesn’t matter anymore.
Supporting our throw away world is the fact there are very few things that most folks believe are really worth fixing – maybe a heat pump, air conditioner, or fairly new car, for instance – but the complete list seems to grow shorter by the day. Many manufacturers, including those who make computers, are behind this conspiracy.
Well, tossing something out just because it does not work or is “too old to keep” is not the way I was raised. So I’m still fighting society’s change.
Back when working on the engine of a l967 Ford Mustang was not the same as diagnosing the Space Shuttle, such as car repair is today, the approach I learned was simple, if it’s broke, fix it.
This was akin to the fact that nothing of any value was to be thrown away whether it worked or not.
If something was broken, it might have a part that could be used to repair something else.
And if something did work but had outgrown its usefulness, that didn’t matter. A need would come along someday to use it again.
I’ve proven both these ideas time and again. Most recently this happened over Christmas when a long ago retired radio saved the day.
The old RCA that belonged to Dad has sat on the floor surrounded by books and other treasures, unused for years. How many? Well he passed away 15 years ago January 1. I’ve had the radio since then, and it was probably two decades old when I brought it home.
I can still see it sitting by Dad’s bed on his bookshelf. It later occupied various spots of importance as he and Mom moved from house to house in their later years.
It doesn’t have an exterior antenna and only offers plug-ins for “tape” or “phono.” There are knobs for bass, treble, balance, loudness/power and tuning. A selector knob offers AM/FM/FM Stereo/Phono/Tape. The cabinet is real wood and it actually weighs something. Today’s cardboard boxes weigh more than many of the electronics they hold.
Christmas Eve I wanted to hear some Christmas music, classic Christmas music. I wasn’t interested in all the remakes and new hip songs that seem to be everywhere, clogging even the television channels that pretended to offer something reflecting the season instead of their normal hours of drama.
So I got the radio off the floor, cleaned it up a bit and plugged it in. A quick turn of the selector knob and in no time the kitchen and living room were filled with the real ole time carols.
The reception and sound were better than anything I’ve heard in awhile.
The radio has now been resurrected with a permanent place in the kitchen.
So the next time you start to throw something out that still works, remember, it may come in handy someday. And the memories it brings back may be just as important as the job it performs.
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Glenn Harbison is publisher/editor of The News Observer. He can be reached at 706-632-2019 or by email at glenn@thenewsobserver.com.