# Farewell, my old friend **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 26, 2010, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-my-old-friend/537398 "2010-04-26T14:10:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-my-old-friend/537398/1 "2010-04-26T14:10:06Z")
I noticed that you were slowing down. You just weren’t putting out the energy that made you such a loyal companion for all of these years. Your strength was waning, and I knew that the time was approaching when I would have to say goodbye. It was sad, and frustrating as well, to see that once-robust and responsive performance become lackluster. But now it’s time, my dear Makita. Your batteries no longer hold a charge and your torque is not up to the task. It’s time to trade up to an 18v model and toss you on the trash-heap of history. We’ve driven a lot of screws over the years, and drilled a lot of virgin lumber, but it’s over. Farewell, my old friend. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-my-old-friend/537398/2 "2010-04-26T14:14:54Z")
Followed by a bunch of comforting comments about the rainbow bridge. We know the drill. ---
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-my-old-friend/537398/3 "2010-04-26T14:17:42Z")
There’s a hole in all our hearts thinking of your loss. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-my-old-friend/537398/4 "2010-04-26T14:20:51Z")
Remember before you and Makita hooked up when you had to do all your screwing by hand? Jeez, my forearms were huge from all that exertion. I’ve had my own Makita for coming up on 15 years now. She’s never failed me despite having been taken to task innumerable times and for every conceivable project. It’ll be a sad day indeed when I have to trade her in on a newer model. Well, sad until that… you know… first screw. Galvanized screws. I’d tap that. ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-my-old-friend/537398/5 "2010-04-26T14:56:04Z")
> [@Finagle](#): > > …We know the drill. Bravo! ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-my-old-friend/537398/6 "2010-04-26T15:14:09Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > Galvanized screws. I’d tap that. Not without a washer, surely. ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-my-old-friend/537398/7 "2010-04-26T15:20:02Z")
This thread is boring. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-my-old-friend/537398/8 "2010-04-26T15:46:51Z")
I was bracing myself for a bit of a tearjerker thread. This doesn’t auger well… ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-my-old-friend/537398/9 "2010-04-26T16:19:57Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > I was bracing myself for a bit of a tearjerker thread. Me too. It turned out to be only a drill, but I bit. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-my-old-friend/537398/10 "2010-04-26T16:34:10Z")
My drill’s name was “Chuck”. :😭: ---
**Author:** ![Surly\_Chick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Surly\_Chick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surly_Chick)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-my-old-friend/537398/11 "2010-04-26T17:03:21Z")
Well, crap. I came in to chastise you for ditching your drill because she wasn’t as young as she used to be and had lost some of her moves. Only to discover she’s a he. Nevermind. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-my-old-friend/537398/12 "2010-04-26T17:12:02Z")
And people thought I was odd for getting sentimental when my first scientific calculator died. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-my-old-friend/537398/13 "2010-04-26T17:19:19Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > And people thought I was odd for getting sentimental when my first scientific calculator died. Well, when your number’s up, it’s up. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-my-old-friend/537398/14 "2010-04-26T17:45:01Z")
I’m going to send a thread link to my son. He had a more sudden loss recently when someone broke into the garage. No warning, just suddenly . . . the drill is gone. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-my-old-friend/537398/15 "2010-04-26T17:56:21Z")
I wish I could get this worked up over my drill. I’m sort of eying new ones - I want to trade up to a more powerful one with a better recharging system. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-my-old-friend/537398/16 "2010-04-26T18:00:56Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > And people thought I was odd for getting sentimental when my first scientific calculator died. I’m sure it reciprocated your feelings. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-my-old-friend/537398/17 "2010-04-26T18:12:31Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > And people thought I was odd for getting sentimental when my first scientific calculator died. Oh, darn it to Hex! That’s the square root of sad. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-my-old-friend/537398/18 "2010-04-26T18:25:35Z")
Oh Makita, tell me what’s wrong; You’re constrained by your own charger. We both know the problem is larger. How I hate to see you like this; There is no way you can deny it; I can see that you’re oh so sad, so quiet.\* \*with apologies to Abba ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-my-old-friend/537398/19 "2010-04-26T18:54:38Z")
> [@Projammer](#): > > Well, when your number’s up, it’s up. Yeah. **ChefGuy** was screwed. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-my-old-friend/537398/20 "2010-04-26T20:02:27Z")
Back in the eighties, there was a particularly annoying song called Nakita. One of the great 1970s rockers had gone all mushy. We called it Makita: The Power Tool Song. Edit: it was [Nikita](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikita_%28song%29) by Elton John. A far cry from classics like _Funeral for a Friend_. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-my-old-friend/537398.md?page=2)