The Can Opener Fiasco

I'd like to think of myself as a talented person with a good head on my shoulders. There are plenty of things I can do well and then there are some I fail miserably at doing. They say people can be book smart yet lack common sense. With that said, the use of a very common household item escapes me.

I am nearly 25 and am just learning to use a manual can opener. You're probably wondering how I got by in life not being able to use a simple contraption. Well, when I was a child we had two manual can openers. We had the big bulky one and the plain silver one. I had seen my mother use both on many occasions and never caught on how to do it myself. Once my mother began teaching me how to cook she expected me to open cans. She gave me lessons on using the can opener and I just couldn't get it down. After watching me fail several times my mother gave in and got an electric can opener. *Hallelujah!*

Having an electric can opener meant never having to use a manual one. I became very dependent on the electric one. Whenever I needed to open a can, I stood in a corner forcing my can onto the machine. The thing is I couldn't even always get the electric can opener to work right! Sometimes it would take me a couple of tries, but I always succeeded.

Recently I was forced into a situation where I had to use a manual can opener. I asked for help with the can opener and got "You can graduate college but can't use a can opener!?" Instead of doing it for me, RB attempted to teach me. He showed me several times how to do it and even explained each step. I became beyond frustrated when I couldn't open the can. I'd get a hole in it and then not be able to continue turning it. A couple of times I would get the can partially open and require help for the rest.

Due to the help of RB, I was able to use a manual can opener on my own for the very first time. I was so proud I put it as a status on Facebook. I'm pretty sure someone read it and thought "This has to be one of the dumbest things I've read!" Ah well, my friends got a good laugh. I haven't had to use the can opener again, but I'm hoping I am successful on my first try.