My tastes are clearly “redneck” except in one area; I love those old Broadway musicals that reek of elegance.

My favorite is “My Fair Lady” starring Audrey Hepburn (1929-1993) as Eliza Doolittle and Rex Harrison (1908-1990) playing the distinguished Language Professor Henry Higgins.

The storyline revolves around a bet between the professor and his friend. Higgins wagers that Eliza, a young flower girl from the streets of London with a heavy Cockney accent, can be converted into a princess who can fool upper-crust London society with her improved diction. I’m fond of this story because I have a similar situation at home. Be assured that I am not forcing a young English woman to repeat a weather forecast about the “rain in Spain”. Instead, my “Eliza” is our new HVAC system that is making irritating noises and driving my household crazy. In the movie, Higgins’ housekeeper, Mrs. Pierce is tasked with getting Eliza cleaned up and presentable. My wife reminds me that any duct cleaning should be done by a qualified HVAC professional. When the HVAC team arrived at my house to clean and service my noisy HVAC unit, I wagered a case of beer that they could not get rid of the noise. I was happy to lose that bet because my HVAC system, which I still refer to as Eliza, runs silently allowing my family to sleep peacefully. In the movie, Eliza’s father sings a memorable tune called “With a Little Bit of Luck” where he expresses hope that Eliza will begin supporting him. I don’t expect my HVAC Eliza to support me, but I have noticed lower energy bills since I had her cleaned and serviced by that crew of HVAC professionals.And no, my HVAC Eliza does not fetch my slippers.
boiler