How Not to Repair an Oven: 3

This story is becoming tiresome and predictable. And yet I report it. I just have to, because some day, I could see this segment of my life as part of a bad sitcom. Yes, yes I can.

Mr. Repairman showed up Wednesday afternoon. Third afternoon for repair--third different repairman.

Him: You've got the parts the company sent?
Me: Yes. Here they are.
Him: Great.
Me: If you need something, I'll be in the dining room with the dog. Not that I can help you fix this or anything...
Him: [Laughs] Thanks.

Shadow and I retreated to the dining room, where I promptly sat down to read a book. I listened to the small racket in the kitchen, and when I heard a beep, I knew he'd replaced the control panel. Sure enough, a few minutes later, the man called for me to tell me he was done.

Him: So that's it. Let me check that the oven works.
Me: Okay, well, let's just say that I use the oven, and I get the error again.
Him: You shouldn't. I replaced the control panel.
Me: All right.

If you know me, my behavior was predictable. Of course, I looked at the negative side of things. It's a trait I share with two sisters and many ancestors!! But if you know my writing, then you know why I'm saying this story is predictable.

Because yes, the man left at 3:00 p.m. At 5:15 p.m., after setting the oven, baking the food, and turning the oven off, the error code rang again. F10! F10! I ran down to the basement and flipped the circuit breaker--the only way to get the beeping to stop.

And then, I called the company.

Me: A repairman left about two hours ago. But my oven blasted the error again.
Company: It did?
Me: Yes, it did.
Company: Do you want me to see if they can come back?
Me: Well, I'd like to use my oven again. But I have to get my kids to singing lessons. I'll be back at 6:15 if they want to come again tonight.
Company: Okay, I'll let dispatch know.

No one returned that evening. And by the next morning (yesterday), I thought I better call them, just in case they had some information.

Me: Hi. I had a repairman come out yesterday to fix my oven. Even though he replaced the control panel, I used the oven and got the error again.
Him: You did?
Me: Yes, I did.
Him: Huh. Let me look at this...
Me: And last night, the company said they might send someone back out but they didn't. That's okay, I just want to be able to use my oven.
Him: I can understand that. Well...let's see...okay. You have a new control panel, right?
Me: Yes.
Him: Did you flip the circuit breaker after it was installed?
Me: No, the repairmen never said to do that. But I did have to flip the breaker yesterday after it errored, so yes, by now, the breaker has been flipped.
Him: Sometimes, that circuit needs to be switched off after installing a new panel. It sort of resets the system.
Me: Okay. Since I've flipped it already, I'll use my oven today and see how it goes. But it would have been a really nice thing for the repairman to tell me that.
Him: Yes.
Me: I'll call back if I have any more problems.
Him: Have a nice day.

In the end, I used my oven twice yesterday, and so far, no error. I'm hoping this new control panel was the problem. However, I sense a pattern with this company: part of the error comes with the repairmen.