The Ernest Chronicler

If you are looking for actual proof that God exists, then you won't actually find it here.  What you will find though is a decent story of convenient circumstances.

I am a person who loves duct tape.  I've made many wallets for friends, an iPod case for myself, a desk organizer that I didn't end up liking, and a purse for a girl's birthday.

I also had a reversible belt that broke.  The little holes in the leather (through which screws attached it to the belt buckle) tore.  A few weeks ago I lost one of the screws.  But I looked at this belt buckle as a challenge.  I made it my mission to make me a blue duct tape belt.  The strap part was easy enough.  Just take one long piece of duct tape and fold it over the skinny way (hot dog, not hamburger), and put more and more layers of duct tape on.  I got this much done last week, but I couldn't find any way at all to attach the strap to the buckle.  I thought of using shoe goo, carpenter glue, or Gorilla Glue.  My dad said none of these would work (but I'm sure the Gorilla Glue would've).  And the one screw I had wouldn't cut it.

After a few days of not trying anything, tonight at dinner I made a discovery.  I looked down at the hardwood flooring next to my chair and there was the tiny missing screw!  How opportune!  After Mother's Day dinner I resumed my quest, but again I was inconvenienced.  I had not a screwdriver the correct size for the tiny belt screws.  I used my pocket knife's blade and file for a while, but they didn't work and I got angry.

Another problem was that the nook in the belt buckle where one end of the strap is inserted was wide enough so that when the screws were in, they just pressed down on the duct tape strap.  They couldn't puncture it.  I again consulted my father.  He recommended a wedge to insert on the opposite side of the belt buckle than the side the screws go into.  His idea worked, I used a cut out from a plastic lid.  But still there was not a screwdriver small enough to be found.  So I went into the garage to search through some ill-sorted draws.  In the second one I searched, way in the back was a screwdriver the perfect size!

After screwing the buckle to the strap I used a hammer and nail to punch holes in the strap.  Now I have a blue, duct tape belt.  And it is awesome.