The blog ‘Missing the obvious’ reminds me of the experience I had while installing a swing in my home. It happened three years ago.

I asked an electrician-cum-domestic help to put two hooks on the roof of my living room for the swing. Even as he was drilling, the power supply got cut. He found that electrical wiring near the place of drilling had caused a short-circuit.

The electrician repaired that, completed the hook-fixing work and left.

That night when I switched on the air-conditioner we found that it was not working. I called the electrician the next morning. After testing the wiring in the living room and bedroom, he said we had to spend Rs 3,500 on new wiring. The short-circuit had made the wiring defunct, he said.

I decided to get a second opinion. I consulted two more electricians who gave the same advice after testing the wiring lines.

Still reluctant to spend that much, I shelved the idea of repairing the A/C for some time.

Fifteen days later when a new electrician came, I told him the problem and asked him to look into it. He thoroughly checked everything. His recommendation was to change the wiring near the A/C. Including the labour cost, I spent Rs 500.

The first three electricians concentrated on the wiring in the living room and bedroom and did not inspect an interjection thoroughly. But the fourth one checked everything and found a link that had been cut due to the short-circuit.

Is it the urgency to earn money, the urgency for quick solutions the reason for missing the obvious?

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