Furnace Filter

Changed the furnace filter. Back when we had to buy a new hot water heater, we had eight people in our cracker box northside domicile, so I thought the number 50 gallons made sense. No one from the gas utility that we purchased it from told me I was crazy. When it was installed in the very tiny space, the intallers did not suggest we could get by with something smaller. So ever since, 8 years or so trying to get to the furnace to change the filters has been a royal pain.  So I have developed surprising freak show, snake lady skills to get in and out with the help of barbecue tongs.  This is not to say I don't curse and hrrrumph plenty, and pine for the day we can afford an on demand water heater in a thought out convenient place.  This is all preamble to one of the more remarkable conversations I had with a repairman.  I'm reminded of this every time I change the filter and am contorted around the water heater, face pressed against cobwebs and dust.  We had a Centerpoint Energy tech out one time to service our furnace. He looked at the water heater capable of serving a fraternity, or a commerical laundry and said, "What the hell is this, this is an outrage, this would have never been put in MY house. This makes no sense. What lunatics put this in?"
"Your company."
He visibly shrank, looked at his toes and coughed.
I did all I could do not laugh.
"Oh." he said.