The Thread Of A Doubt!

    We begin our return trip from Florida with
a mystery left unsolved!
     My sister-in-law, like all the women in our
family, often looks for and finds bargains! One
is a small portable sewing machine.  
     My wife had occasion to put it to use during
our visit and her first effort proved very
successful. Since we had to leave for awhile,
however, the finishing stitches on her project
had to wait a few hours.
    What could have happened during the brief
absence? When we returned the machine no
longer functioned!
     My wife, who has worked with all kinds
of sewing machines and her brother, who once
labored in a Garment Shop repairing them,
could not find what caused the problem and
did not know how it could be fixed.
     Most of you would, logically, say "Read
the directions." But there were none to be found!
     That's when I decided to take a shot at being
the hero and got on my laptop. I explained that
we could not thread the bobbin on the machine
and asked anyone with information to send an
email. I also fired off a separate email to the
company listed on the box that distributed
the unit.
     Several consumers with similar problems
had already posted notes suggesting "timing"
was often a problem with this machine. I
included that information in my message to
the company.
     A gentleman named Ken wrote and asked
that I send a photo of the machine to help him
help me. Meanwhile, the company sent a 4-
page-instruction booklet.
     The directions, however, didn't tell us
anything we didn't already know. So I wrote
again asking about the timing.
     Ken got back in the debate and, although
he never saw this type of machine before,
offered some general steps for adjusting the
timing on sewing machines.
     The company that sold the product sent an
email which read..."What do you mean, timing?"
     I wrote back again typing..."You Tell Me!"
     The long and short of it is this. The machine
isn't designed to be dissected so Ken's helpful
advice, unfortunately, won't work.
     The company has been virtually no help at
all!
     Perhaps I should mention....the company is
in Brooklyn. Ken lives in England!
     To Ken I say "Good show old chap." As far
as the company is concerned.....I think I know
why the Dodgers went west!
     Hope I've left you in stitches and that all
your NEWS is good!