While I was showering yesterday morning when all the power went out. I waited around for it to come back on, but nothing was happening. Our housekeeper was supposed to come yesterday afternoon, so I called my roommate and asked her to get in touch with the housekeeper and reschedule our cleaning. I wanted to make sure the housekeeper would have power for the vacuum cleaner (I hate vacuuming). I was a bit astonished when my roommate just confessed over the phone that the power was out because she forgot to pay the electric bill. She's very responsible, but she's been sick the last little while so that kind of slipped past her. I flaked once and almost had the gas turned off in the middle of the winter (I only remembered because they left something on my door threatening to come back and turn it off later that day if I didn't pay up), so I know how these things can happen to the best of us. My roommate reported back a few minutes later that the bill was paid, she had rescheduled the housekeeper, and that the power people had guaranteed that the power would be back on later in the day, so I went off to work and didn't think much more about it.
I was a bit annoyed when I was the first one home last night, it was after dark, and the power was still out. I sent a text to my roommate, who responded back that the power people said the electricity was back, but to turn it on I would need to find the main breaker somewhere outside the house, only it was not described to me as the "main breaker," but rather "a box with a switch somewhere out in the courtyard." I couldn't find any boxes in the courtyard, so I admit that my text message response began with "For starters I have no idea what you're talking about..." and went downhill from there. Not very nice I know.
By then the other roommate had just gotten home from work and she rustled around in a closet and produced a flashlight that can be better described as a spotlight. The two of us went back outside and started searching for the electrical boxes. Our neighbors must think we're freaks. We considered giving up and, placing a call to the other roommate demanding that she come home and find the box herself. That did seem really rude though, since she is legitimately sick.
The roommate that was with me went inside for a bathroom break and I wandered into the back alley. I decided to shine my flashlight into the niche where the dumpster sits. Of course that's where the electrical boxes are mounted. In the grossest, most inconvenient place possible. I've done far more disgusting, less sanitary things than squishing myself behind that smelly dumpster, but that still didn't make it a pleasant experience. Sure enough there was a main breaker back there, and we were back in business. I text messaged the roommate who isn't feeling well to let her know that the power was back on and received a flurry of apologies, especially when she found out where the electrical boxes are located. Once it was behind me I thought the whole thing was just kind of funny.
I did learn a few things from the experience though:
First, snapping at people via texts is worse than doing it in person, because a written record remains as evidence, but it still doesn't help anyone find the main breaker.
Second, I need to buy a new lightbulb for my flashlight since I'm clearly unprepared for an emergency situation.
Third, silverfish hide in the bottom of the candleholders I have stored under my bed, so it's best to not touch those in the dark when I can't see what's there.
Fourth, I should just be grateful that the good Lord decided to overlook my bad attitude and still help me find the breaker, because let's be honest, who just decides to go looking for electrical boxes in the dumpster niche? Not me.
Fifth, I need to be grateful that I am small enough that I can squish myself back there to get the power back on.
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