So I have a washing machine. (I’ve only ever has access to my own washer when I’ve lived in third world countries. I like to think of it as a perk.)

I sorted and loaded up my clothes the other day and turned it on and . . . nothing happened. Many of the electrical sockets have on/off switches here, so I switched the socket switch and turned the washer on and . . . nothing happened.

That sucks!

I called my “in the event of any issue” contact guy and he said, “Sure, I’ll send an electrician tomorrow.” It’s been over a week. I guess I should call him back. He also mentioned something about telling the guard. (My apt building has a “chokidar” a “gate man” if you will. He just kind of hangs out all day and watches people walk in and punch the code in to open the door. I guess he opens and closes the gates for people with vehicles.)

I told him my problem and he said, “Yes, yes, okay.”

I don’t think he had any idea what I told him.

In any event I went to check on the situation again yesterday. In case, you know, for no reason at all something had suddenly changed and it was going to work. I opened the washer and there was a big fat RAT! Just sitting there happy-as-you-please on my new blue shirt!

I, of course, reacted immediately by 1. Screaming, and 2. Hysterically slamming the lid shut and running away. I noticed that the rat squeezed his way out of the barrel and into the casing of the machine before I slammed the lid.

I know I shouldn’t really be shocked. There are rats, (and dogs and cows) everywhere. I saw one (rat, not cow) in the drain outside the other day. The rats are in the Microsoft building, big time. They aren’t shy either. They run across the ceiling and they have colonized the cafeteria. Lots of LSs (Language Specialists, this place is full of acronyms) refuse to eat there because of the rats.

But it’s no use, they are everywhere. If they are here, they are in every restaurant.

I would have to go to the bother of cooking all my own food, and that’s just not going to happen.

I have, on the other hand gone to the bother of buying new clothes (just one outfit so far, I have hand washed a thing or two as well) until I figure out how to get somebody to fix my outlet.