PostPoems Be Artistic. Be Creative. Be Inspired!

Water-Pump Woes

***********************

(Picture from Google images)

My bathroom stopcock just below the wash-basin was dripping for quite some time.Those of you who have read "Water Woes" must recollect Haru the Plumber whom I telephoned early on Sunday morning to pay me a visit. He arrived at about eleven.After inspecting the site of damage, he gave me a list of things to buy from the local hardware store. "You get these and I will get two washers which aren't available at the shops" I HAD to agree !! Rs.520/- worth of material was duly handed over to Haru who had taken off his full shirt & caravat. The chap opened the inlet pipe and left it open until all the water in my overhead tank had literally gone down  the drain.

No !!! he couldn't fit the stopcock."Who fitted the wash basin !!??" Haru exclaimed."It hasn't been fixed properly.I have to take it off and refix it with a screw and white cement." I kept glum while Haru set to work.After an hour and a half, he went out and fetched a piece of bent pipe from his home. That plumber took down the wash-basin three times and his work was duly completed at three. He made me pay a labour charge of Rs.500/- !!!! While leaving ,he asked me whether the electric water pump was leaking. I said "No".

Just after Haru left, I somehow thought of checking the pump site.I found the place flooded !!! It was already dusk.I telephoned Haru who assured me to come next morning.I enquired whether it would be safe to run the pump with the leak. He assured me that it was quite safe.All night I put a piece of cloth under the pump to soak up the water. This morning Haru came and this time I made him sit down after the "inspection". I told him that a new electric water pump would cost me around Rs.4700/- hence I wasn't inclined on spending much on this 40-year old pump which is guzzling electricity.Haru sensed my wavelength and settled for a paltry Rs.150/- labour charge before he set to work.

Readers... Beware of plumbers like Haru !!! He did the work,took Rs.150/- and left.When the pump ran for about forty minutes it began dripping drops. I telephoned and got the reply "Challan.. kichhu hobena" [ Run it.. Nothing will happen] So readers, I'm running the pump with water dripping a drop a minute.Wasn't I happy with just one municipality tap in the frontyard just forty years back. Ah.. now I feel better after onlining my feelings and wishing to put my life into back-gear to the less complicated times. This is specially for Astromate from bishu-the-scum.