The Ryobi Drill and the Hinge That Started Everything

I bought the **Ryobi** on a Tuesday. Home Depot had it marked down forty percent and BW was not there to stop me, which is how most of my purchases happen. The loose cabinet hinge above the sink had been loose for seven months. The deck railing had been loose for longer. I had a plan. The drill sat in its red plastic case on the garage shelf for three days, gleaming like it had somewhere important to be.

On Friday I opened it. The weight surprised me—heavier than the pictures made it look, which felt like progress. Real tools weigh something. I charged the battery. It took two hours. I stood in the garage checking my watch like the drill was going somewhere.

That Saturday morning I removed the cabinet hinge. Three screws. The drill worked perfectly. Too perfectly. It stripped the first hole in about two seconds flat, spinning like it was powered by something that had never heard of mercy. I backed out. The screw came with it. I stood there looking at the hole.

The child found me on the deck at noon.

I was at the railing, sizing up the first loose spindle, when she appeared with the drill in both hands. Not the cordless. The corded one from the basement. Where had she gotten it? How long had she been watching? She'd also found a piece of plywood from behind the shed and was attempting to attach it to the deck post with a screw that was far too long and spinning at a speed that suggested she'd figured out the trigger faster than I had.

I took it from her. Plugged it back in. Put it in the basement closet and locked the door. (BW has a key to the closet.)

The Ryobi sat on the garage shelf for another week before I tried the cabinet hinge again. I filled the stripped hole with a toothpick and wood filler. New hole, lower. New screw. It held. The hinge was tight. It looked like something I had done, which is the strangest feeling in the world—taking credit for work that a machine mostly completed while you stood there holding it.

The deck railing is still loose. The Ryobi is still charged. I know where it is. The child knows where it is. BW doesn't know we both know.

Some tools are waiting. Some tools are just living in the garage, hoping you'll forget about them entirely.

If you liked this story about the Ryobi 18V One+ Cordless Drill/Driver, you can buy your own on Amazon. Remember, we're BFF if you do.