I'm a little bit tipsy, which is unusual for a school night, but I felt I should probably write this post so people could at least laugh at the misfortune (or fortune, depending on your perspective) that led me to cry 'tonight I deserve the chu-hi that's chilling in the fridge!'
After finishing up at my visit school today, I decided to stop off at the shopping mall that's kind of en route to my apartment. I was relaxing and looking at various gifts I wanted to buy and decided to measure my make-up against a small-looking make-up bag (covered in Totoro!!) that I wanted to buy for myself. As I reached into my bag I found an email and two missed calls from my supervisor on my phone. The email read:
"There is an overflow of water in your house. The landlord and a mechanic came there. They need the permission from you. Now I got a call from the principal telling me that a mechanic is fixing the problem, he is now in the verander."
Oh.. poo.
So I rang him straight back, running towards the shopping mall exit even as the phone was ringing. When he picked up he didn't have much more information than was in the email as he was still at school waiting to hear from me. He offered to pick me up from my home station and I pegged it across the bridge and towards the ticket barriers. I slipped onto the train just as the doors were closing and was confronted by a man who stared just a little too hard and had a mild case of halitosis. Running through my mind was every possibility that could have led to my apartment flooding. I'm so careful. I had checked the taps were closed before I left that morning,. A pipe must have burst! My supervisor had said my apartment was 'full of water' - what was damaged? How would I afford the repairs? What a nightmare :(
At my station I slipped off the train as quickly as I had slid on and headed for the exit. 30 seconds later my supervisor picked me up in his car and we hurtled towards what has been my home for the past ten months. We briefly talked about the possibilities, what could have happened, and I felt my heart pounding. Why! I wanted to cry.
5 minutes later we were at my apartment. My supervisor went to park the car as I hopped out and hurtled towards my door, keys already in hand to let any necessary mechanic / plumber / superhero in.
But no one was waiting outside. I knocked and unlocked, and peered in. I expected water to gush out over my wellies.. but nothing. I stepped in and switch the light on. Stuck my head into the bathroom. Tiptoed into the bedroom. Nothing.
Well, it must be the balcony that flooded, I thought.
Nope, the balcony was bone dry. I let my supervisor in, and it quickly dawned on us that the landlord had made a mistake. He called the school and let them know, but his irritation with the landlord was clear. In the meantime I had a couple of kittens and decided to just be grateful my possessions hadn't floated out of my apartment in my absence. Without a doubt I will be doubly paranoid for my remaining six and a half weeks in the shoebox apartment, but I am glad that the place hadn't flooded.
It dawned on me afterwards.. the landlord contacted my school but he had obviously got me confused with someone else. Maybe there is another ALT in my town who is in for a nasty shock tonight? What a long day this has been indeed. I'm glad I had the foresight to buy an alcoholic drink this weekend.
