Pool Guy Captivated by Michael Bublé Impersonation

Jesse the Pool Guy

Chapter 10

By Bob Deakin

Jesse the pool guy was deep into diagnosing an unusual water chemistry problem at the Andrews home on Thursday when the sound of music struck him. He doesn’t hear much music while servicing pools but today was different. 

At first, he thought it was coming from an entertainment system until he heard it stop and start again repeatedly. He didn’t know who it was, but they were playing keyboard and singing. 

It was obvious he was working at the pool, but they weren’t shy about anyone listening. “Were they performing for me?” he wonders.

Back to Water Chemistry

The owner reported that the pool water turned green. It happens to pools frequently, for various reasons. These may include an Algae outbreak due to improper circulation or lack of sanitizer, excessive rain, or improper chemical balance.

However, this pool is a brownish color, which piques Jesse’s curiosity about copper oxidation. This may be the result of corroded pipes, the use of copper-based algaecides, or even dirty well water. 

It’s an old pool, but he’s been maintaining it, so he suspects corroded pipes or components somewhere in the system. Next step: Find the source.

Feeling Good

In the meantime, who’s making that beautiful music? The male voice and the keyboard continue. Jesse Shazams it and figures out it’s the Michael Bublé Christmas song, “Cold December Night.”

Jesse barely knows Bublé’s music. He’s liking it, though, and we may have a new fan.

He can’t help but focus on the music now. The pool guy is captivated by the Michael Bublé impersonation. 

“How has all this beauty escaped me?” he asks himself. The singing and playing continue and Jesse can’t get enough. He wants to stand and cheer. Not what a pool professional does, however, and he suppresses his joy.

Do Not Drink the Brown Water

Jesse pulls out one of his special test kits to determine the source of the brown water. Although he’s never used it, he has one that specifically measures copper levels. He adds water and regents to the kit, waits, and quickly notices the color change, indicating increased ppm of copper particles.

Looking at his training notes he also sees that blue or green stains around fixtures and pipes are an indicator of excessive copper oxidation. He looks all around and spots precisely that at pipe junctions and on some of the heater fixtures.

He also grabs a water sample to bring back to the shop to test for other metals or corrosive properties. He thinks he’s got it; now it’s a matter of treating it. He’ll check with his service manager first, but sees that Jacks Magic  Purple Stuff, CuLator Metal Eliminator, and ProTeam’s Metal Magic are options.

It may help immediately or more steps may be necessary. He’s heard that sealing the pipes internally with an epoxy can also remedy the situation, although that’s a job for the service team.

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

It’s December and indeed it is. The more he hears this Bublé music, the more he thinks it's going to be a Holly Jolly Christmas for him and his girlfriend. One of these days he’ll figure out who is doing this incredible impersonation of Michael Bublé.

“Thank you,” he says in the direction of where the music is coming from. “You’re my best new customer. I just haven’t met you yet.”

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