The weekly Dad-makes-me-rant

So Dad's handyman put up a new kitchen fixture this week. The minute I walked into his house, Dad started complaining that the 75-watt fluorescent bulbs weren't bright enough (he has macular degeneration and needs a lot of light), and would I please put in 100-watt incandescent lights instead?

I got up on a ladder, took the shade off the fixture, and contemplated the problem.

"It's rated for 75 watts, Dad. You can't put in 100-watt bulbs."

"Oh, that's not a problem," he answered. "I put 100-watt bulbs in all my fixtures."

Note to self: Check all lights in the house. "It is a problem," I said. "You'll start a fire. We're not putting in 100-watt bulbs."

A pause, while he considered that. "Why don't you just put them in and see what happens?"

So if the kitchen ceiling bursts into flame, we'll know for sure it's a problem, right? Great idea, Dad. "No," I said, more firmly than before. "It's not safe. It's rated for 75-watt bulbs, and that's what we're using."

"The handyman said it's perfectly fine to put 100-watt bulbs in it, and he's an electrical engineer. He ought to know."

I am reasonably certain the handyman did not say this, or he probably would have put 100-watt bulbs in it to begin with. "I don't care what he said," I answered. "I'll put in clear, incandescent light bulbs, and I'll leave the shade off. That ought to be bright enough. But I am not putting 100-watt bulbs in this fixture, and that's final."

Dad kept grumbling. But since he can't stand on a ladder to replace the bulbs, I won the argument:-).