Improvised Electronic Device

Why is my favorite outlet wired with an extension cord?

I have my computer and its hardware all plugged in to one lonely outlet. My answering machine and my caller ID need to be right there, too. They all commune at the same watering hole: my phone jack.

There is an additional outlet right beside the one the computer uses. Bizarre little thing, it seems to require a cord with 4 prongs. Whatever could that be for? Let’s get rid of it! Let’s put a normal outlet there. Eleven electrical devices in one corner is not enough! (computer, monitor, stereo, web cam, printer, scanner, caller ID, phone, answering machine, phone charger for home phone, phone charger for cell phone.) I want more electronics! I need more power! *pant gasp*

My husband bought a really good book about wiring. I read it, mostly.

Blah blah blah, Turned off the power. Took off the weird outlet. Power on again. Checking the wires for juice…. Nothing. Following the wires into the basement.. More weirdness. They dead-end outdoors. Following the wires of its sister outlet, my favorite outlet, as you remember. They lead up to..

What the heck is this!? This isn’t wiring in my outlet! It’s an old lamp cord! And the extension cord is so old that it pre-dates plastics! It’s covered with cloth! It plugs into.. What the heck is this!? Into a light bulb socket! It has a little screw-in adapter, so the socket becomes a single outlet! The socket is every bit as old as the extension cord. It pre-dates me for sure!


Shhhh! Please, no one tell my computer that it gets all it’s inspiration from such questionable source! And PLEASE don’t yank that pull-chain on the light bulb socket, or I will lose contact with the entire outside world!