This story was created as part of a chain story writing challenge. The goal was to write a story with the title "The Set" using the following ten words: Charity, Harmony, Lavender, Painting, Remote, Ribbon, Skulk, Sky, Solace, Transform.
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My house was an ongoing project, between the replacing of floors, the painting and the remodeling of the kitchen I figured it would transform into something pretty special, but it seemed that just as soon as something got finished something else would break. I had hoped the painting would be the end of it but then the dishwasher broke, which then prompted me to also replace the old lavender countertops, which then required a new range. It snowballed from there and suddenly the entire kitchen had been replaced.
I barely had time to cut the ribbon on the new kitchen when the air conditioner broke. Yeah, so that means a new, energy efficient model with a digital control system, special timers and even a remote control. The unit cooled the air, but I just couldn't get the control system figured out.
Now it always seemed to me that all you needed to do was set the thermostat on the temperature you wanted and that was it. No, not any more. These new fangled things want you to tell them when you are sleeping or at work so they can go into cut back mode apparently thinking I need the charity or something, but the system supposedly can figure out when I don't need to pay to be cool or warm and simply shuts down. I don't know, I mean I'd rather just set the temperature and let it go.
So anyway, within a week I had the thermostat so screwed up that I found myself sweating all day and freezing at night. In an effort to keep comfortable I had to skulk around the thermostat at all hours of the day and night just to try to see if it was working. After a week it was seemed clear I wasn't going to get it working so I called the contractor for help.
I was mildly surprised when I discovered the Air Conditioning Serviceman was a woman, a very large, but attractive woman with long, dark hair, very prominent breasts, a tight stomach looking stomach and very long, muscular legs. She spoke with an accent, Russian perhaps, anyway, after greeting her at the door, I led her into where the thermostat was and outlined my dilemma.
"So you have a problem with the set?"
"The set?"
"Yes the set of the temperature... the, how you say? Thermo..."
"Thermostat," I completed her sentence for her. "Yes, I have trouble with it."
"Okay, but you understand to be happy you must have the right set. I will fix it for you, but you tell me, when you go to bed."
"When I go to bed?"
"Yes, yes, what time?"
"Oh about 10 or so."
"10 PM right?"
I nodded.
"Okay, that's twenty two, and what time are you working?"
"I work from about eight to six pm."
"Okay that's eight to eighteen, good, good," she replied.
"Weekend?"
"I'm home most of the time."
"Okay, I fix it now," she said before turning to the thermostat. "First I set now," she glanced at her watch. "Now I set sleep time," she pressed the buttons a number of times, "and now time at work." When she finished she stepped back, turned to me, smiled and said, "Okay, all is in harmony."
"Harmony?"
"Yes, yes, working properly, right?"
"I guess."
"Look, here is my... my card. You have problem, you call me."
"Okay, thanks," I said following her back to the door.
Stepping through the door she said, "I will come back next week and check you?"