Okay this is probably stupid but it’s been bugging me – anyone else ever feel like a terrible human over something so small? I mean, it’s not a big deal but… it just keeps replaying in my head. I had a tech out today – like, appliance repair, nothing exciting. He was maybe early 20s? And the homeowner, this sweet older lady, probably 80s, widowed, you know the type. She was trying to explain the problem – it was something with the dishwasher, like a weird gurgling sound and then a leak when it drained? Not a huge flood, just enough to be annoying, a slow drip. She kept saying, "It makes this noise, like a dying sea monster, really. And then it just… *burbles* over the side, not all the time, just when it's really full." And she was gesturing, trying to show him the height of the water and everything. She had clearly thought about this, observed it, probably even drew little diagrams of the water flow in her head – a lot like how I'd approach a visual art problem, actually. She just wanted to communicate the specifics, you know? The details matter. But he just kept talking over her. "Yeah, drain blockage, ma'am. Common issue. I'll just snake it." And she’d try again, "No, but it's not like *all* the water, just after the first rinse cycle sometimes, then it's fine. It's almost like it's confused!" And he’d cut her off again, "Yep, drain blockage. Seen it a thousand times." And I just stood there. I’m the homeowner's daughter, technically, though I only live here part-time now since… well, since my husband passed and the studio rent got impossible. I just nodded along, let him do his thing. I didn't say anything. Didn't say, "Hey, maybe listen to her, she's trying to give you important information." I just let him dismiss her. She clearly felt brushed aside. I could see it in her eyes, that little flicker of disappointment, like her careful observations meant nothing. And I let it happen. It's not like I'm some powerful advocate or anything but I just feel… so bad. She’s an artist too, was, a painter. She understands the importance of seeing things clearly, articulating what you observe. And I just stood there, quiet, letting her be unheard. Am I the only one who gets stuck on these little things? It just feels like another one of those moments where I should have stepped up, spoken my truth, like I tell myself I'm going to do, but I didn’t. Again.