I know this is going to sound pathetic to a lot of blogosphere-ites but 7 degrees in the morning, in the UAE, is blimin cold.
When I described the cold to SWMBO I said it was not like a really cold winter day in Nu Zild but it was feeling like a cold winter's day if you know wot I mean.
Scarf, beanie, jacket, need to hug a heater cold.
Of course houses and schools in this neck of the sand dune do not possess heaters. Why would they – it never gets cold.
But this year is different.
And I needed a heater. But nothing is straight forward in the sandpit.
Last week Hisham had told me that the weather forecast for the weekend was for colder and windy weather so I toddled off to the LuLu store close to my school to buy a heater.
Found one – I like oil column heaters so I was thrilled to see it sitting there all needy like – eventually I found someone to serve me (could the guy 3 feet away serve me? Don’t be silly! Heaters are not his area).
Anyway 5 minutes later – I find the guy whose area it is. Sorry sir – that’s the last one he says. Me – does it go? Yes sir. Okay I’ll have that one I say. Do you want the box he says. Yes I say.
He goes off to find the box. I browse.
10 minutes later – he returns and says – sir – there is no box. Never mind I say and he puts the heater on the tiled floor. I notice a big wobble when it’s on its feet. I point it out. He says – sir it’s the floor. La la la (no no no) I say – it’s not the floor. Someone has assembled it incorrectly. The nuts were tightened too much and it has bent the bar the feet sit on. Can you fix I say. Yes sir he says. Okay I say – I’ll be over there.
10 minutes later he finds me. Is it fixed I say. Oh yes sir he says. I say – show me (I’m not as green as I am cabbage looking). We go over to the heater. It still wobbles!!
Of course.
Sorry I say and return to school heaterless.
After school I drive to Al Jimi Mall. No luck with any of those shops. I return home heaterless.
A heater, a heater. My kingdom for a heater!
Next day: Off I troop to Bawadi Mall with a feeling that I would have to return shame faced to LuLu's and buy the wobbly one. Sure enough – no luck at Bawadi. I buy a convection heater for 50 dirhams figuring I better get something. I then try the last place on my list – another LuLu store on the Oman border.
I head for the heater area and I spy one. Only catch – it has NO LEGS!! A shop assistant spots me (must be the heater guy I think) and asks if I need help.
!!!!!!! Boy do I.
Yes I say – I want to buy a heater like that one but it needs to have legs. Yes sir he says and bids me follow him. I trek to the clothing section of the store. Eh????????? No – heater I say. Yes sir he says – this one?
And suddenly there it is. The clouds part, the sun beams down, celestial choirs kick into action. A column heater. With legs. That don’t wobble. And a box!
It’s been going non-stop in the lounge ever since.
Love and peace - Wozza
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