This week I’ve been thinking a lot about water.
Things like: “Wait. Why is neither toilet flushing?”
Followed the next morning by, “They’re both still not flushing? What’s going on? The water is working everywhere else…??”
Followed that evening by “So what you’re telling me is I haven’t washed my hair in four days and I’m getting picked up for a party in 45 minutes and now there is literally not one drop of water flowing from any faucet in our home…? Correct? Yes? Fantastic.”
Followed by five stages of grief:
1. Denial (Maybe if I keep turning this knob back and forth…)
2. Anger (THIS CANNOT BE HAPPENING I DO NOT HAVE TIME FOR THIS PEOPLE THE HAIR MUST BE WASHED AND STYLED!!!)
3. Bargaining (Please, oh please, pretty faucet, if you will just provide me with 10 minutes of water, I promise to make you shiny and clean a lot more often. I’ll even use a real lemon and a Norwex cloth.)
4. Depression (What’s the point. Cancel the party.)
5. And, finally (28 seconds later): Acceptance
(Hello, Heidi [neighbor who has five boys under the age of 7, including a 3-week-old newborn]? I’m sure you don’t have much going on over there or anything, so can I come take a shower at your house? And use your flushing toilet? Like, right this minute?)
Followed by a summer-camp flashback as I carried my caddy of supplies over to the available restroom.
Followed by the news that not only had the water mysteriously returned while I was away showering, but it had begun gushing out of the back of our main-level toilet. Fortunately, R-boy solved that with some quick thinking and a bowl from the kitchen.
Things like that.
But also, things like, “Hmmm. I lost access to water in my home for a few (very pivotal, pre-party) moments, and this caused me to basically also lose my mind.”
Not to shame myself or anything. It’s just worth noticing though? Right? Considering, you know…that a huge percentage of the global population never has that problem? Because they don’t have water in their homes at all? Or anywhere near them for that matter? It had me thinking.
It also had me thinking that, apparently, it takes a village to keep me showered and supplied with water:
– A fabulous neighbor willing to share her (perfectly-clean-on-a-moment’s-notice!) shower.
– A good friend willing to spend his Saturday night turning my gushing toilet into a flushing one.
– A host of other friends and neighbors willing to whine and empathize with me about my water drama.
– And a city worker willing to come by and assure me that it’s all in my head and that nothing is actually going wrong, because “The water is hooked up so it should all be working.”
Granted, I am currently getting my household water supply through a garden hose attached to my outside spigot (I’m not even kidding, and don’t ask me how that works. Our whole block has this strange set-up going on.), but at least I do have clean water today when I turn on my any of my faucets.
Which I’m going to do right now.
For a long drink of cool water.
And a moment of gratitude.
xo
__
P.S. I’ll say, this does make me think of my friend and the brave thing she’s doing: http://bit.ly/1Uxs1u8. Here’s to water, friends.
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