In all my married, and hence 'cooking' (in the kitchen) years, it has always happened when either i have guests at home, or the kids are about to go to school, or i am midway serving them their food, or some weird moment like that- it is eerie how that gas cylinder picks the oddest moment to declare it has expired!
It is like God playing his mischievous self, for a change! Why else would the gas finish only when you are desperately making a cup of tea? Or the chapati is half cooked? Or the rice is half boiled? Or worse, when it is past the gas company's delivery time and you have to wait until 9 next morning! How do you send the kids to school next morning?
We have other options like microwaves, and electric hot plates and best of all, home delivery menus. But i have yet to learn the art of making a perfect chapati in a microwave. Hot plates have to be installed when i chose gas instead. Home delivery options do not work for 6.30am school-lunch delivery!
We beg, we plead, we threaten, we plead again...."Please, please, please- can you not deliver the gas now?"
"No, I need it now!!!"
"I cannot wait until tomorrow morning."
"What is your cut-off for delivery time- it is not even 8! I have seen your delivery vehicles even later at night in our area!"
But no! They leave their stickers with all the numbers on it on your gas cupboard but when you need a new cylinder, not one of these delivery companies are willing to come. And their excuses are unique:
"I have finished all the cylinders now- new cylinder will be filled only in the morning."
"I just came from that area..."
"Our cut off time is 5pm"
And the best is,
8pm: "I am coming...",
9pm: "I am on my way."
10pm: "He has not reached as yet? I told my colleague to come there..."
11pm": " It is too late- the Security will not allow us to come now..."
It allows him to buy time and lets you pass your time in the hope of his arrival. Finally, you understand that he outsmarted you and now it is actually so late that no one else will deliver either- so you have no option but to wait it out until next morning!
You will be lucky if your neighbourhood supermarket is still open to pick some bread and croissant for kids' breakfast while you wait for the gas delivery van and a new phone number on your gas cupboard!
Moral of the story: many!
1. Always keep a loaf of bread at home! You can use it instead of chapati in such emergencies.
2. Always keep fresh fruits, juices and again, bread at home- they come in handy for kids' lunch boxes when the gas cylinder ditches you!
3. Always have extra cash at home- the prices of gas have been steadily increasing! You do not want the guy to come and not deliver the cylinder only because you did not have enough cash!
4. Cook before 5 pm! So, even if the gas finishes at 8, you only have to worry about the next morning then!
5. Last, and most important, take it as an opportunity- to 'fast', to eat out, to go light (by eating only fruits and salad), to have a long conversation....depending upon your personal appetite!
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These observations are my point of view of the life, as I see it. This blog does not intend to hurt, rationalise, judge, ridicule, or in any way offend anyone at all...it is only a way of sharing my own observations...so, please take it in the right spirit....thanks.