In re: Repairmen
The last word on the subject is contained in Flanders & Swann's delightful song "The Gasman Cometh". For those unfamiliar with this ditty, I quote it herewith in its entirity.
It was on a Monday morning that the gasman came to call,
The gastap wouldn't turn, I wasn't getting gas at all,
He tore up all the skirting boards to try and find the main,
And I had to call the carpenter to put it back again.
Oh it all makes work for the working man to do.
It was on the Tuesday morning the carpenter came round,
He hammered and he chiseled, and he said "Look what I've found!"
Your joists are full of dry rot, but I'll put them all to rights."
Then he nailed right through a cable <pop!> and out went all the lights
Oh it all makes work for the working man to do.
It was on the Wednesday morning the electrician came,
He called me Mr Sanderson, which isn't quite the name,
He couldn't reach the fuse box without standing on the bin,
Then his foot went through a window, so I called the glazier in.
Oh it all makes work for the working man to do.
Twas on the Thursday morning the glazier came along,
With his putty, and his blowtorch, and his merry glazier song,
He put another pane in, it took no time at all,
But I had to get the painter in to come and paint the wall.
Oh it all makes work for the working man to do.
It was on the Friday morning the painter made a start,
With undercoats and overcoats, he painted every part,
Every nook and every crany, but I found when he had gone,
He'd painted over the gastap, and I couldn't turn it on!
On Saturday, and Sunday, they do no work at all
So it was on the Monday morning that the gasman came to call!
