The Leaky Faucet

Setting: The kitchen of a house. A single, very old faucet is dripping loudly into a sink.

(The scene opens with MR. THOMPSON staring at a leaky kitchen faucet. He has a wrench in his hand and looks defeated. His daughter, SARAH, walks in with a phone.)

SARAH: Dad, you’ve been out here all morning. Did you fix it?

MR. THOMPSON: (Sighing) No. The **washer** is worn out, but I can't get the **handle** off. It's stuck. This faucet is probably forty years old.

SARAH: Okay. Let’s not break it completely. I’ve already called a **plumber**. He said he can come by in about thirty minutes.

(Mr. Thompson puts the wrench down and shakes his head.)

MR. THOMPSON: A plumber? It's just a leaky faucet! I can fix a leaky faucet.

SARAH: Dad, you've tried. Now let a professional handle it. I don't want the kitchen to flood.

(Thirty minutes later, the doorbell rings. Sarah lets the PLUMBER in. He is carrying a large toolbox.)

PLUMBER: Hello. I'm here about the leaky faucet. I'm Mark.

SARAH: Hi, Mark. It's in the kitchen.

(The Plumber goes into the kitchen and looks at the faucet. He turns the handle a few times and listens to the drip.)

PLUMBER: Hmm. It’s a good old one. The **compression valve** is probably shot. That handle is really on there. Looks like someone put it on with a lot of **elbow grease**.

MR. THOMPSON: (Standing beside him) I tried to get it off. But no luck. I didn’t want to break the whole thing.

PLUMBER: Good call. We don't want to cause more problems. Let's see... (He pulls out a special tool from his box and works on the handle for a minute. With a final twist, it comes loose.) There we go! The **cartridge** is definitely worn out. It's old.

(The Plumber quickly replaces the old part with a new one. He tightens everything up and turns the water on. The drip is gone.)

PLUMBER: All done! It should be good as new. The new cartridge and washer will last for years.

SARAH: Oh, thank you so much! It's so nice to have some quiet again. What's the **damage**?

PLUMBER: No problem at all. My rate is $75 for the **service call**, plus $15 for the new parts. So that’s $90 total.

MR. THOMPSON: (Amazed) That’s it? After all that work? You really saved us, Mark. Thank you.

Vocabulary List

Plumber 🔊 /ˈplʌmər/ (n.): A person who installs and repairs pipes, faucets, and other plumbing fixtures. Example: We had to call a **plumber** to fix the leak.
Washer 🔊 /ˈwɑːʃər/ (n.): A small, flat ring of rubber or metal used to make a joint watertight. Example: The leaky faucet just needed a new **washer**.
Handle 🔊 /ˈhændəl/ (n.): The part of a faucet that you turn to control the flow of water. Example: The **handle** on the sink broke off.
Compression valve 🔊 /kəmˈprɛʃən vælv/ (n.): A type of faucet valve that uses a rubber washer to stop the flow of water. Example: The old **compression valve** was the reason for the dripping.
Elbow grease 🔊 /ˈɛlboʊ ɡriːs/ (idiom): hard physical work or effort. Example: It took a lot of **elbow grease** to get the floor clean.
Cartridge 🔊 /ˈkɑːrtrɪdʒ/ (n.): A single unit inside a faucet that controls the flow and temperature of water. Example: Replacing the **cartridge** fixed the faucet.
Service call 🔊 /ˈsɜːrvɪs kɔːl/ (n.): A visit by a professional to a customer's home to perform a service. Example: The **service call** fee was $50.
Damage 🔊 /ˈdæmɪdʒ/ (n., informal): The cost or amount of money that you have to pay. Example: "What's the **damage**?" he asked the waiter.
Flustered 🔊 /ˈflʌstərd/ (adj.): Confused or nervous. Example: She was too **flustered** to answer the question.

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Vocabulary List