Monday, August 27, 2007
Chinese Water Torture
Late yesterday afternoon I noticed a big puddle of water in our hallway. This is never a good sign. We don't have a dog or any incontinent relatives, so I used my Miss Marple like powers to deduce that we in fact had a leak. After blanketing the area in beach towels and leak-catching pots, I immediately called the service people listed on the side of the air conditioning unit. Of course they couldn't come out until today, though they did have some exceedingly soothing hold music. I made the appointment and left my sister to deal with it.
Around one today I got a call from her. There was nothing seriously wrong with the air conditioner, she said, we were just morons who left the humidifier on at the same time, causing an overflow. That was the good news. The bad news was that she had locked herself and the maintenance man out at one pm on a Monday. Could I come and let them in?
Before I could even get out the door, I got another call. It was no problem, she said, the air conditioning man had simply jimmied our lock. It only took ten seconds. Somehow this did not make me feel better.
But she'd saved the best news for last. It turned out she hadn't lost her keys after all. They were just in her back pocket.
So now I'm dry but dangerously prone to late night burglars. At least I don't have to worry about them slipping and falling.
Late yesterday afternoon I noticed a big puddle of water in our hallway. This is never a good sign. We don't have a dog or any incontinent relatives, so I used my Miss Marple like powers to deduce that we in fact had a leak. After blanketing the area in beach towels and leak-catching pots, I immediately called the service people listed on the side of the air conditioning unit. Of course they couldn't come out until today, though they did have some exceedingly soothing hold music. I made the appointment and left my sister to deal with it.
Around one today I got a call from her. There was nothing seriously wrong with the air conditioner, she said, we were just morons who left the humidifier on at the same time, causing an overflow. That was the good news. The bad news was that she had locked herself and the maintenance man out at one pm on a Monday. Could I come and let them in?
Before I could even get out the door, I got another call. It was no problem, she said, the air conditioning man had simply jimmied our lock. It only took ten seconds. Somehow this did not make me feel better.
But she'd saved the best news for last. It turned out she hadn't lost her keys after all. They were just in her back pocket.
So now I'm dry but dangerously prone to late night burglars. At least I don't have to worry about them slipping and falling.
