For all of you grilling out there. Weber only wants love stories, 500 characters or less. Thought you might like the whole story...
Dear Weber,
You asked for it (on TV), so here's the story for you. I have been paralyzed 42 years. I did my own cooking and grilling until 1992 when I lost my ability to walk. I am now quadriplegic, but, thanks to technology, I drive a specially equipped van in my electric wheelchair, work a full-time job at a university, write novels in my spare time, and eat my retirement to pay for my help and ability to work.
Because I cannot exercise, my evening meal consists of less than one-third pound of broiled meat or fish. My Vietnamese helper/partner is a fabulous cook. She has been broiling my evening meal in the oven since one of those little squeeze broilers gave out years ago. Because of the smoke and heat, she always wanted to grill outdoors. A Japanese friend of hers told her about the fabulous Weber grill, so she told me she wanted one. My parents have used a Weber charcoal grill for over 40 years, so I thought it was a good idea. We ordered a blue Silver edition from my shopping service for her Christmas present a year ago. When it arrived, it was black, not blue, and unassembled. Undaunted, after about three weeks when she finally had the time, with my instruction she put it together and lifted it up where it said that it required two men.
To her dismay, it contained no tanks of fuel. I went to the local Home Depot to get a propane tank for it and found that it only used natural gas and couldn't be converted to propane. I have natural gas in my home to both my range (electric) and my dryer (electric). I checked with a plumber and found that it would be too expensive to run a pipe to the wall to my deck. I went back to Home Depot and bought two ten-foot sections of hose that would make it from the deck to where the dryer was in the kitchen. I had to hire a plumber to provide me with a connector at the dryer so that I could connect the hoses. The biggest disadvantage to this setup was having to plug in the hoses every time the grill was used and having the door open during grilling, letting heat, flies, mosquitoes and other critters in.
In May, last year, the grill was finally ready for her to use. She rushed home from her shop at 7 p.m. and grilled me a steak. It took an hour. Usually it takes about 15 minutes for her to put food on the table, and then she's gone to cook for her father at his house. It took her another hour to clean the grill from cooking my one little steak. Needless to say, she was very upset and all the time that it took. She hasn't used it since. I had to buy a cover at Home Depot for it because it sits out on the deck getting dirty. We've talked about selling it in the newspaper but haven't gotten around to it. I think of donating it, like that spare electric wheelchair that I have sitting in the living room, but haven't got around to doing that either. Do you know someone who could use a new grill, used once, with all the accessories, including grilling tools?
Wow! So did Weber reply? I am really curious, Ron! Great story! Great letter!
God bless,
Sandie.
Reviewed by Tracey L. O' Very
5/30/2005
Perfect letter to the Weber company. I wonder if they'll buy it back. That's a shame that it didn't work as planned and hoped and then the companies to ignore ya too. Black and decker does that too. Only the Love letters. I'll keep the faith for ya, that it'll land in the "right" hands and eyes.
Have a safe day everyday Keep smilin' (c :) it makes 'em wonder...hmmmmmmm...??
Tracey
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Dear Weber,
