Several years ago, a roommate questioned the character of a time-tested tool I own and wondered why I hadn’t replaced it with a newer model.

Today I was using it again and remembered that moment.  I feel vindicated in my answer back then and its truth today: “It still works.”

The tool is a broom that has been in my life since the summer of 2001.

I’m fairly certain I got this beauty after arriving at college, which would mean it came from the Wal-Mart in Selinsgrove, PA.  The first year it wasn’t the most needed thing since my roommate was quite the cleaner and often borrowed a vacuum from down the hall, but later it got much more use.

The criticism from the roommate a few years ago was largely aimed at that middle section, which you can see has had a little work done.

The reason for that is that in addition to being a broom, this thing is also a murder weapon.  While living in Florida, I was greeted one day in my living by a cockroach scurrying across my living room floor.  That kind of behavior is not acceptable in my dwelling.

I ran to the kitchen to snag the broom and in a series of repeated blows, I took care of the problem.  Of course in the process I snapped the broom handle about 90 percent through.

A little duct tape and years of pioneering a specific brooming technique and we’re still going strong.  I haven’t even had to kill anything with it lately.