The Sound of Money

One of my favorite movies is MEET JOE BLACK, wherein the wealthy, dying Anthony Hopkins is visited by the gorgeous, vacationing Death, Brad Pitt. Mr. Hopkin's character lives atop Manhattan in a beautiful penthouse above the rabble. Although he can't stop Death from eating at his dinner table or defiling his daughter, noise is never allowed. Even when the softspoken servants who shuffle around on carpeted floors in silken slippers set the table, the silverware is surrounded in ivory napkins so as not to disturb the dying man. Amazingly, no one gets shocked with static electricity when they hug.

You have to be really rich to afford such serenity.

We have lived in mobile home, which was sort of like living in a dying K-car. Every rattle of the furnace or squeak of the air conditioner interfered with conversation. I didn't realise how much it bothered me until we moved into the country house we were building at the time and the silence was overwhelming.

Our little Usonian will not be much bigger than that trailer. So when we went appliance shopping at Sears, our emphasis was on quiet. And, you have to pay for it. There are even decibel ratings on the better built dishwashers. Stainless steel appliances are quieter than their counterparts and that adds to the cost. We went with Kenmore for the dishwasher, stove and reefer. They seemed to be the most consistent with quality and our son-in-law says he likes his. Maureen, our salesperson, told us that every manufacturer's stainless steel finish is different, so in order to lessen confusion to the eyeballs, that played into our decision too.

Also, Sunday, Sears is having a "Friends and Family" sale. This means that anyone who has ever walked through a Sears at anytime during this or a previous life can buy a Kenmore,and get a better deal. So, we picked out the goods last night, but will actually buy it on Sunday because we are Friends.

I don't think we're Family.