Meet Carnation Karen

We have all seen videos and memes depicting "Karen" in many unappealing situations; here is the story of Carnation Karen.

Carnation Karen is a landscape enthusiast who prides herself on the sculptured property that she lives on. Carnation Karen has always been troubled by the big green box in her yard and the unsightly blight it displayed. Carnation Karen set out one day to plant shrubbery and flowers, and to spread mulch around the box to cover up the unpleasing view that detracted from her yard.

She planned, gathered materials, tools, and plants that she could use to cover the box and return her perception of her yard to its majesty.

Her project for day one was to remover the grass and add suitable soil to meet the needs of the plants. This encompassed renting tilling and auger equipment from the local rental shop. Making sure she had adequate protection from the sun and plenty of water to drink, out she set to begin work.

First item was to shovel the grass out and save for some other repairs in the yard. Once completed, she began to prepare the areas to mix the soil and nutrients; she had to make sure the plants could grow expeditiously. Finally, she set out with the auger to dig the deep holes she would need to plant the large shrubbery she planned to use.

Once the auger hit the dirt everything was going so well, but that was about to change. Not being familiar with what the box was for and unaware of what the warning labels told her, the dig was on. Deeper and deeper the auger went to help ensure the root system could take hold and the success of her plan could be achieved.

With a huge flash and bang, Carnation Karen’s project and life came to an end. Carnation Karen had failed to follow her state’s 811 dig laws and she failed to heed the warnings on the box that it contained 7200 Volts 400 amps that transformed to 240 volts 200 amps that supplied her home. Neighbors heard the noise, saw the flash, and ran to see what had happened. The grisly discovery of Carnation Karen having been electrocuted and burned beyond recognition was traumatic for all. The auger had melted into a molten mess of plastic, and metal and sparks were seen from the wiring that was underground.

The lesson to be learned is that big green boxes and pedestals on your property serve a distinct purpose for the comforts of your home. Being familiar with the underground utilities that are on your property can make the difference between comforts of your home working correctly or someone’s life. All this knowledge is as simple as calling 811 or your local utility provider for assistance on the proper location of utilities and safe excavations around those underground services that we all use.