Never again will I insult Kenya Paraffin Lamps- erm, KenyaPower and Lighting Corporation. Ok, not for like 2 weeks, anyway. :o)
I got home a couple of nights ago and there was no electricity. Feeling like The Cavalry and simultaneously trying to feel better about the state of our toothless bulldog service providers (ha! I should use that in spoken English so I sound like a politician/newspaper lacking creativity), I called the KPLC number (which, for some strange and uncanny reason, I have). Now, my cousin had already tried the numbers she had, but no one was picking up. The Cavalry, however, as we all know, tries all possibilities again and again until they are sure that, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that their mission, to save, in no way can be achieved, and the ghost of failure and loss looms eerily over a horizon of blood... *ahem* so I called. Just so I felt like I had done something. Just to be sure. It's like back when I was on The Other Network and I would call Customer Care. Not because they were going to help, or their system works. Just because I needed to feel like someone had listened.
The lady picked up, and I didn't know our account number (I'm still a child). She got tired of waiting and hung up. Things were looking bleak. I called again. The nice lady said they'll send a team over. I didn't really care, of course, because I just wanted them to hear what I had to say. I went to sleep, still in darkness, but content.
An hour later, 2 nice men came in a truck and fixed the part in our meter (that had apparently burnt. How now? As well as charred all the wires around it). It took him 20 minutes. I was overcome with impressed...ness. Impression. Impressarios? I wanted to give them gold, frankincense and myrrh. I felt their quick and excellent service befat (HA!) a reward (which I suppose is us payig for elec) (as they came in, Nice Man #1 said "Poleni kwa giza." I almost started drawing maps, I was so pleased).
We discussed among members of the household whether to give them money. I had no change. Tea, perhaps? They had to rush to save yet others thrown into the dens of deep, damp, dank darkness, and rescue them from the dastardly diabolical clutches of deprivation of light.We gave them bananas. In a swirl of KPLC-emblazoned capes, they were gone.
KPLC sent a technical team at midnight. Then I saw the lights come back...and now I'm a believer.
tSN
p.s. AllWoman.
I like this post!! The other day, ok a couple of weeks ago, I arrived home after a looong Monday to find lights out for a third consecutive night. Now having thrown out all the food in my freezer the previous night and seeing as it hadn't rained, no one had gone on strike etc...I couldn't take it anymore. So I googled The Paraffin company and 24 calls later some rather....err unfriendly lady picks asks me hat my a/c number is...i dint know and she hang up. Only 4 calls after locating my number I finally talk to a lady who is so nice, informs me they are aware of the problem and 30 mins later our power was back on!! :) I could barely contain myself. It felt like a feat of humongous proportions.
ReplyDeleteLets just say I feel you!! n lol @ the no change :)
hahaa...the plight.
ReplyDelete...dastardly diabolical clutches of deprivation of light...
fantastic piece
@Annette isn't it grand. :o)
ReplyDelete@jon :o) Thank you.