Electrical repair

Three years ago one of my coffee drinking friends who was an electrician, helped me install a florescent light fixture over our island kitchen sink. It was about as difficult a task as two fellows our age wanted to take on. A few days ago, Elaine flipped the light switch and saw flashes of light from it and then darkness. My first impulse was to replace the T-8 bulbs to see if that was the problem. Another coffee drinking friend reminded me that the T-8 bulbs could be checked in a fixture with T-12 bulbs which we have in the basement. That check proved that the bulbs were O.K. We got recommendations for a good local electrician and called a young man whom we had not known. He said he could be at our house in just over an hour. He arrived on time and within 25 minutes had a new 4 lamp ballast installed, 13 wires hooked up, the plastic cover back in place and the job completed. It was some of the most efficient work I've seen in some time. When we received his bill it was $22.46 for the ballast and $65.00 for the "first hour of labor". We put a check in the return mail and were so pleased to have it repaired. I have always admired people who were exceptionally good at what they do, be it lawyers, musicians, sports figures, plumbers or electricians. Mr. Reed certainly fits into that category.