Do you remember all the hype that surrounded the big turn-over in 2000? Predictions were that everything could come crashing down as soon as the clock struck midnight. The panicked masses were kept wondering if planes would fall out of the sky and their microwaves would go berserk.
In case you weren't around at the time, let me tell you how it ended: nothing ever happened. Still, the point that was being made behind all the dire predictions was pretty interesting. The logic was that once one thing went wrong, the entire system could begin to disintegrate.
Sometime over the weekend, I started to get sick. It's just an old sinusitis/head cold thing, but it has knocked me out for a day or two. Normally it wouldn't be such a big deal, but of course these things never happen alone. Simultaneously, Physics was injured and pretty much incapacitated. Both sick. There are still other people to help out, right?
Right. Until the power went out. No coolers, no fans, and 43 degrees. Definitely less that pleasant, especially if you are sick an sore. The pumps for the water must be electric, because shortly after the power went out, we lost all water supply. Nothing for showering or washing dishes, nothing for drinking. As soon as it started to get dark, the mosquitoes moved in. Normally the combination of the fan and the All-Out keeps them at bay, but with no power, both are useless. There's a mosquito coil burning in the room as well. It adds to the camping effect.
So for a full day, we hav been sitting around sick, hot, and without electricity (read entertainment) and water. In true Indian (and actually South African) fashion, they predicted it would be on at around 7pm. At 7 they predicted 9. At 9 they predicted 11. We'll see just how long it takes. Hugh and Eleni visited the construction to repair the line. Apparently it is lika any other state-run project. Three guys actually working, and two dozen gathered around them nodding their heads and mumbling "yup."
I love India.
Flown by mariposa at 10:00 PM on May 31, 2005
