Dead Batteries

 To clear off the top of my bedside table I crocheted two little holders for the television remotes. I thought I was being very neat and efficient.  Said holders hang off the corner of my bed frame at the head, handy to pick up and replace. 

Not too long ago I went to use the remote that changes channels and it didn’t work. I couldn’t get my favourites list on screen and couldn’t select a different channel directly. I assumed the batteries were dead as I couldn’t remember when I had changed them last. 

It must have been quite some time as one battery had leaked and I had to clean the crud off the remote.

Everything nice and clean, new batteries, all set. 

Not.

Within the week the new batteries were dead. Maybe this was because the batteries had been in the cupboard for a long time. I replaced them again, with high hopes, but the replacements were from the same stash. Just in case I purchased new batteries.

A week passed and the batteries died on me again, but this time I was prepared with a pair supposedly fresh and new which I replaced forthwith. 

Dead? How can that be? I was perplexed. I started pushing the variety of buttons on the remote in an attempt to get the remote working. I was tired of these marathon viewings on whatever channel I was on when my remote channel changing failed.

Suddenly the favourite channels banner was across the bottom of the screen. With a push of another button the TV guide of channels and listing of shows was on the screen. 

It was a ‘light bulb over the head’ kind of moment. I knew exactly what was wrong with all the batteries.

 Absolutely nothing.

Every time I put the remote in its holder it somehow pressed the cable button and turned it off. Except for the first batteries that had leaked, all the batteries I had tried and discarded were most likely good. 

Such a funny cause and effect. Who would have thought that slipping the remote into a pretty crocheted sleeve could cause all that trouble. 

But I’m ready if any batteries fail for real, with the set of new ones I’d purchased, and if I get the discarded ones back from my son-in-law I’ll be Girl Scout ready for any AAA emergency.