15 months.
Is that something to be proud of, or does that mean I cook too little?
It took me that long to use up a cylinder of cooking gas. It finally finished while attempting to make some chai.
I spoke--well, no, that's not the right word--interacted with the interactive voice response system to make a booking for a refill. It gave me the number 6 and 0. I don't know what kind of confirmation that is.
Five days, 18 phone calls, five emails, and 3 smses later, I came to understand it was not any kind of confirmation. It doesn't mean anything at all.
And I went to the the gas company office.
The girl sitting at her computer typed in my consumer number and right away told me my account was "dead".
That's what she said: "dead".
My account has died.
Oh tragedy.
And--right on track with moving through the phases of grief--I went from denial (she'd already had to say it twice because of my what-are-you-talking-about face) to anger...
Who let this happen! I changed to a "shocked--how could that be" face.
I need cooking gas. What am I supposed to do if I don't use up a cylinder in less than six months (bargaining phase)!
Calmly, she gave me the list of requirements for reactivating the account.
Oh sheesh. Give up the drama, I told myself, and begin the process of reactivating the account and gathering all the paperwork. Again(acceptance phase).
So I had to return with all the documentation 2 hours later (after lunch) and then I had to write a letter requesting they reopen it (re-entering life phase).
After which, the girl changed something in the computer and told me my new cylinder would arrive the next day. I waited to see.
Nope. Nothing arrived.
Not the following day either.
So it was my first priority this morning. To go to the gas company again and ask them where my refill was.
But it was kind of a slow morning, and I didn't have a chance to go anywhere before the doorbell rang and there it was: a full cylinder.
That's a happier than expected ending. And in celebration, I will go make some chai.
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