As the holiday season approaches, Americans across the country are gearing up for their Thanksgiving feasts. But for the hard-working plumbers of the United States, the day after the holiday has taken on a new, less appetizing meaning: ‘Brown Friday.’
According to industry insiders, ‘Brown Friday’ is the busiest day of the year for plumbers, as millions of Americans take to their toilets to relieve themselves after a day of indulging in turkey, stuffing, and other holiday fare. For these brave professionals, it’s a day of long hours, smelly work, and plenty of clogged drains.
“Thanksgiving is a bonanza for the plumbing industry,” says Joe Smith, a plumber from New York City. “We know that as soon as the last slice of pie is eaten, our phone is going to start ringing off the hook.”
The numbers back up Smith’s claims. According to Roto-Rooter, the country’s largest plumbing service, calls to plumbers spike by a whopping 50% on the day after Thanksgiving. That means more clogs, more backups, and more unpleasant surprises for homeowners across the nation.
But for plumbers like Smith, ‘Brown Friday’ is just another day at the office. “We’re used to dealing with other people’s crap,” he says with a wry smile. “It’s what we signed up for.”
Indeed, the life of a plumber is not for the faint of heart. An average day on the job might include unclogging a drain full of grease, digging up a main sewer line, or replacing a broken water heater. And when ‘Brown Friday’ rolls around, the challenges only get more…umm…interesting.
“We’ve seen it all,” says Smith. “From too much toilet paper to…well, let’s just say we’ve seen it all. But we’re professionals, and we’re here to help, no matter how bad the situation gets.”
For homeowners, the best defense against ‘Brown Friday’ is prevention. Plumbing experts recommend avoiding putting any food scraps, grease, or oil down the drain, and making sure to dispose of waste properly. And if the worst does happen, they advise calling a professional rather than trying to tackle the problem yourself.
“We don’t expect everyone to be experts in plumbing,” says Smith. “That’s why we’re here. We’ll take care of the dirty work so you don’t have to.”
So as you gather around the table with your loved ones this Thanksgiving, spare a thought for the unsung heroes of the plumbing industry. They may not get the recognition they deserve, but they’re the ones keeping America’s toilets running smoothly (or as smoothly as possible, given the circumstances). And on ‘Brown Friday’, they’ll be ready to answer the call of duty, no matter how unpleasant it may be.
