Tuesday, March 24, 2009

We Interrupt Bank Misery to Bring You Gas Company Misery, Part 2

Having failed to find anyone walking around Sheinkin Street with a seven-meter ladder looking for something to do, I pondered my options when the phone rang. It was the dry cleaner, wanting to know whether he could deliver and hang my newly-cleaned curtains. Right now! I said, looking forward to completing at least one item on my to-do list. About five minutes later, Oleg arrived with my curtains and began to hang them, very competently. Aha, I thought, here is a guy who probably knows how to climb a ladder. I explained to him my situation with Pazgaz and he laughed, and said, Only in Israel! The gas company is supposed to do this, no? I decided to see whether he would help me negotiate over the phone with Pazgaz for them to provide the service. He did it, and the gas guy is coming, hopefully with a tall-enough ladder, next Monday between 1-4PM. That makes the third time I get to stay home for an afternoon in honor of Pazgaz. Homemaker is indeed a job.

Here comes the best part: Oleg noticed my laptop next to the landline phone he was using on my behalf, and asked if he could look at the Internet. I thought he wanted to check his email, but no, he wanted to check his investments on the stock exchange! And he didn't bother to log out when he left, so I could do a few transactions for him if I were so inclined.

Now do you understand why I love this crazy place?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

My favourite ever inspection visit was the one where I was sent to a Satmar Boys' Nursery in London. It was the only time I ever had to wait for the head of a nursery to finish a call to his stockbroker. And by the way, it was a brilliantly planned and managed nursery (as was the companion girls' nursery, which I also visited).