On Thursday we were all so excited to hear the trickles of water coming out of our faucets. As neighbors, we gathered in the hallway excitedly discussing the promise of a stronger water pressure in a few hours. Following strict instructions, we left all the faucets open all night. When I woke in the morning, the bathtub faucet had stopped trickling. I turned it to full blast but nary a drop came out. I did, however, have freezing cold water in the bathroom and kitchen sinks. Once again I heated pots of water for a sponge bath and got ready for work.
My only consolation was that I was on my way to visit my friend in Atlanta. Not only, as my coworker pointed out on a particularly cold day, is it almost 100 degrees warmer but there was a promise of water. Lots of fresh water flowing from faucets in varying temperatures. Again I had the feeling of being drunk on clean. As the water in my friend’s shower washed over me, so did relief. I stood there wondering what the next step was in my normal shower routine, a routine I had performed once over the last week. As I stepped out of the shower, I wandered around the bathroom in a similar daze to the one you get after 90 minute deep tissure massage.
I returned on the red eye this morning and went straight to work. There I had the opportunity to check my email and confirm my suspicions. After five full days, the water in my building had been restored. What’s more, over the weekend the water had the opportunity to heat so we even had hot water.
I noticed my eyes getting droopy in the afternoon and decided to leave a little early. Nearly falling asleep in the cab, I expected that I would lay down for a quick nap before I started to unpack. But as I opened the door I could hear the water. I checked all three faucets and was amazed to find hot and cold water at full pressure. When I try to explain this to people, they look at me like I am crazy. “What do you mean you forgot how to shower?” they ask with that “Duh!?” expression in their eyes. But you really don’t know what you have until it is gone. And I was so excited by the discovery that I immediately began to clean. My sister would be proud, as I pulled out Shaklee’s Basic H and began spraying down every surface I couldn’t clean last week. Two loads of laundry went in, with a third on the way. A suitcase was unpacked, trash was taken out, clothing put away, mail was sorted and a new pasta recipe I wanted to try last week was made for dinner. Water is an amazing thing!
Now I think I am going to draw a bath and watch last night’s Desperate Housewives in the tub. Because I can.