So the hot water was out for two days. When the real estate agency got around to sending people around they decided before fixing it they'd first send around groups of people to tell us they couldn't fix the problem. They even sent around a plumber who told me he couldn't fix the problem. I'm not really sure why they did it but I'm guessing they all got paid for it and the real estate agent got a cut of their payments. That's just a guess.

The last guy fixed the problem, in the way of these things. He was this tiny european feller with a grin of crooked gold teeth and one of those accents that could have originated anywhere between siberia and poland. He disconnected the hot water from the timed line and attached it to the same power that runs the lights, which is awesome. The timed line only operates between midnight and eight so we were always running out of hot water.

He wanted to be certain the water was heating so he waited around. I don't have a lot in common with a near-elderly european immigrant of uncertain origins and to be honest our accents made us each unable to understand the other, so it was kind of awkward. I let Smokey out of her cage because the electrician had stopped coming in and out and she was really unhappy about being confined for an hour. She came out and was all purrs and happy and the electrician thought she was cute and there was an exchange of pats and affection. Then she rolled over on her back.

Anyone who's patted Smoke knows this means 'stop patting if you want to come away with all your skin'. I dunno why she does it, I didn't raise her, I just have to live with it. I warned the electrician, told him he'd better stop. He said it was allright and started tickling his belly. If he'd been looking at me he'd have seen my look of terror. She started to bat at his hand gently and nibbling at his hand. That's a sign of progress, an indication she may be softening up, giving off little warnings like that. I told the guy again he needed to stop. Again he said it was allright.

Then she attacked, paws locked across his arm, back legs kicking and her teeth trying to rip skin from his hand. I had to jump in and seperate them before they hurt each other. He was definitely bleeding and chuckling a little as I cradled her and calmed her down. He left not long after that, told me to call him if the water didn't heat up.