So I have a friend staying with me while her new apartment is prepped. Good thing, as it turns out, cuz when I called home to check on her (she's got a cold), she informed me that MY WATER WAS OFF! Huh? I pay my water bill automatically, so I know they got paid. Last month they were paid a day or so late because, and here's where the bureaucraZy begins, my credit union managed to NOT send any payments for like 6 days to ANYONE, but they chose to inform me by MAIL, so it was an extra couple of days before I knew. Luckily I have great credit and had no problems. The credit union offered to pay for any late fees. The only fee I got charged, in fact, was from Water Works. So spring ahead one month exactly to today.
I get up this morning, take my shower, leave the house shortly before 9am. There is a Water Works van parked across the street, but as I know a water conduit is under where he his, I think "maybe he's finally working on that stupid rusted cover we've been asking them about since last spring, but how dumb to do it in the winter!" and go on my merry way. So I call home this afternoon to check on my friend, and she tells me the water's been out since shortly after I left. Now, the guy could see me leave the unit he was shutting off this morning, but did he say anything? No. Understandable, I guess, as he probably assumed I knew I was being cut off. But of course they never told me, because I WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE CUT OFF. I suspect it was supposed to be the unit next to me, which is a rental and is empty. However, since it's the middle of a FREAKING COLD WINTER, turning off the water may or may not be the thing to do. Especially since all these units are somewhat connected. Dunno.
I called this afternoon right after hearing from my friend and raised (polite but firm) holy hell. At first they're trying to tell me that there are "no water main breaks in your area, so it must be a frozen pipe". Now, in the old days, I would have gone all girlie, believed them, hung up and probably spent a ton of money, and a lot of stress, calling out a plumber to tell me that the water company had cut me off and be out of water the whole weekend. But I've learned a thing or two. I firmly (but politely) insist that there was a frakking water works van across the driveway from my townhome this morning, could they at least tell me why he was there, in case it was related! I'm on hold for like 5 minutes while she checks with dispatch (why didn't she do this before? I do not know). She gets back on and sheepishly tells me that I was cut off accidentally, and they'll send someone out to reconnect me right away. Uh-huh. I'm heading home now to see. If I'm waterless and stinky all weekend, there will be frakking bureaucratic hell to pay!
What, what do I keep saying?! DON'T MESS WITH THE LIBRARIANS!
