Le Cumulus Est Mort (The Hot Water Heater is Dead)

 

I have been without hot water since Sunday evening.  One thing I have learned in my life is that if I want something done or taken care of, the only person I can rely upon is myself.  So, the only thing to do was to gird up my loins, so to speak, and learn about French plumbing.

My downstairs neighbor knocked on my door Sunday early afternoon to inquire as to whether or not I had hot water.  He speaks a little English, but  he does not know the English words for French plumbing technical points.  Not only do I not know the words for French plumbing terms, I don't even begin to understand French plumbing.  The bottom line is that at the time he asked me if I had hot water, I did indeed have hot water.  He told me I wouldn't have it by Monday morning, and he was right.  He left, saying that he would call the plumber.

Monday morning I heard people banging around outside near the roof.  I assumed that the neighbor had indeed taken care of the problem, but as Monday morning wore on--no hot water.  I sent an e-mail to the management company, or at least to Annabelle, who very promptly sends me the request for the rent each month.   I included Celine, the agent at Guy Hoquet, who actually helped me find the place, because she speaks great English.  She replied back and asked me if I had heard from Annabelle, which I had not.

Monday passed, Tuesday came and went.  Fortunately, I grew up in a house that had no running water of any kind, hot or cold, so I do have the skills to cope.  And it's not as if I am out in the fields chopping cotton, so a sponge bath and shampoo with water heated in a kettle works well enough.  I don't want to have to live that way forever, but I also think of the millions of people for whom even that would be a luxury. 

When I hadn't heard from the management agency by this morning, I decided to pay them a little visit.  It was on my route of errands today, anyhow.  And I have learned, not just here in France, (but especially here in France) that one must persevere.  I plopped myself down in front of Annabelle, who knew who I was and why I was there, and she could tell that I wasn't leaving until I had some answers.  I wasn't ugly, and told her that I wasn't upset--I just wanted to know what was going on.

She had forwarded the problem to the person in the agency, Karen, who handles complaints.  So they were aware of the issue.   Annabelle called her and then called the plumber--and we arranged a meeting at the steps of my building in 45 minutes.  Ah Monsieur Prost.  He knows me already.

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Everyone keeps asking me questions to which I have no answers--where's the cumulus? how many apartments does it service?  Is the heat just for my apartment or is it for the whole building?  I managed to tell him that I had no idea what a cumulus was, much less where it was located.  I thought that my neighbor, Madame Not also had no hot water, but apparently her supply is separate.  She is supposed to be the "contact" person in the building for problems, but she didn't have one, so she did nothing.  She knew about the issue because we all had a big powwow on Sunday afternoon when my downstairs neighbor discovered the problem.  I am the one in the building who knows the least about its workings, and the one who has the biggest communication stumbling blocks, but I end up being the one that people come to.  I thought I had left that role behind me when I moved to France.  It would seem not!

I also learned that the washer which I am about to buy connects only to the cold water tap.  The washing machine itself heats the water, unlike the washing machine plumbing in the US.  I am sort of longing for the day when I don't have to keep learning so darned much!!!!  And that I have to buy a kit when I purchase the washer--remember, the stove didn't come with a cord.  Merci, Monsieur Prost, for preparing me for the purchase.

So, I don't know if I am the only person in the building without hot water, but at least the plumber has looked at the heater, determined that it is indeed--mort--dead.  He has to get authorization from the management agency for a new one, and if they have it in stock, I should have hot water by the week's end.  Let's hope.

And in the meantime, look at how my vocabulary has expanded!!!!