Window War

March 9, 2026

While the bombers flew, we thought about windows. The one in the guest room has four cracked panes. We had covered the crack with clear tape maybe two years ago.

Two aircraft carriers, twelve destroyers, other ships are operating in Middle East waters. Destroyers have launched land-attack missiles, called Tomahawks, at Iranian targets. The Air Force threw its long-range bombers and fighter-bombers into the air assault.

Operation Epic Fury also launched a frenzied onslaught of boldface headlines and melodramatic TV news reports. Stock prices bounced, governments worldwide declared support or condemnation. Gas prices ticked up. Hundreds died. 

We read that experts are nervous about what happens next. Secretary of State Gen. Colin Powell’s 2002 “Pottery Barn” rule, “you break it, you own it,” which then referred to Iraq, has been revised by the Trumpers to “we break it, someone else owns it.” Trump’s promise to Iranians that “help is on the way,” has been reworked as “we’ll see what happens.”

At home people go on about their business. On December 8, 1941 Americans tuned their radios to FDR’s immortal noontime “day of infamy” speech. Meanwhile buses and trains ran, people went to work, to the grocery, then came home and cooked dinner.

Our cracked window faces thick shrubs in front of the house, so not visible from the street. Whenever I thought about it, something else more urgent came up. But on these recent cold winter days, standing near the crack, I could detect a faint, chilly draft. We promoted the window from “sometime” to “now.”  

Mass-mail flyers arrive almost daily from window companies offering 30 or 40 percent off, they’d pile up and get tossed. I found one for Andersen Windows and called, the nearest shop is 30 miles away. I remembered Sandy’s cousin Mike owns the Window World franchise in Cape Girardeau, Mo.

On our St. Louis-Nashville road trip with the grandsons last summer we had stopped at his shop. The operation was impressive, the windows in the warehouse were beautiful, solid quality. Mike treated us to lunch at Lambert’s Café in Sikeston, famous for “throwed rolls.” It was worth a post (June 23).

When we visited Mike at his Tennessee home, he showed some video of his company ads. They feature Mike saying, “We not only stand by our windows, we stand ON our windows.” Mike, a husky guy, then stands on the glass center of a Window World window. That’s a tough window.

I didn’t think we needed new windows, but called Window World Greenville and made an appointment. The next day Terry, the design consultant, knocked. He looked at our cracked window then pulled out his tablet.

“You know your window is a single unit, you have to replace the whole thing,” he said. I didn’t know that. To me it looked like two windows supported by a central post.

My preference was to get this taken care of without spending a lot. Other than the crack, which extends diagonally from the lower left pane to the upper right, the window looks okay to me.

“You’ve got contractor windows, installed by the homebuilder,” he said. I inferred he meant that’s a bad thing. They’ve been okay these five years we’ve lived here.

“You’re out of code,” he said. “You need ozone protection, it’s now required.”  He worked up a quote for two 4000 Series DH W/ Solar Zone Elite 165 windows at $545.00 each. With the gridwork, site setup, removal of some vinyl siding, and a $60.00 discount he got to $1,959.00.

Doing our due diligence, we went to Lowe’s and looked at their stock, which includes Pella and United windows. We scheduled a visit from their consultant. I felt sure Lowe’s would come in under Window World. The next day Brittany from Lowe’s came by. We went through the same drill as with Terry. She emailed proposals, Pella at $2,659, United at $2,064. We said no thanks.

I realized I knew nothing about windows or the cost of windows. We had had new windows put in at our Virginia house, they were the basic one-pane push up/down type, about 20 of them. I thought we paid about $8,000. Well, everything’s gone up.

All we really cared about was the crack. The next day I found a local company, Dixie Messer Mirror. I called and talked to someone, he said to send a text with a photo of the window to his technician, Kenny. Half an hour later, Kenny replied. “I can do it for $600. I can come by today and get measurements.”

Kenny arrived just after noon. A woman stood next to him. “I’m Wanda, his mom,” she said, smiling. “I come along to help.” I showed them the window, Kenny took measurements of the cracked panes. Wanda jotted them in a notebook. She noticed the painting of Sandy’s childhood home, which hangs above the bed.

“Did you have that done?” she asked. “Well, I did it,” I said.

“I’d love a painting of my house like that,” she said. “How much would you charge?”

This caught me off guard. I’ve given away a few things I’ve painted. The rest hang in the garage.

“I just do it for fun. It keeps me busy,” I said.

“Will you paint my house if I give you a photo?” Wanda asked.

I didn’t have anything pressing. I said I’d be glad to. We walked toward the front door. They looked at some landscapes I’ve done that hang around the house.

Kenny and I shook hands. “The glass will be in in about two weeks,” he said. “Sounds great,” I answered. “Thanks for coming by so promptly.”

Wanda smiled again. “I’ll get you a photo,” she said. I watched as they drove away. 

I looked at my phone. Iran news did not let up. Americans were killed. Drones exploded in five Middle Eastern countries. France and the U.K. were sending ships. More U.S. aircraft were heading to the theater. Congressional Republicans refused to call the war “war.” Trump was on every front page and newscast, calling it “war.” Military analysts speculated U.S. forces could run low on ordnance. Tomahawks are expensive.

Dark thoughts welled up of December 8, 1941 and the nightmare that followed, then Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan.  Then I moved on. I wondered what Wanda’s house looked like, and pulled out my paint supplies.