Hello again from the Black Sea,
This time, I will entertain you with a peculiar journey through water charges
without readings. And no, it's not based on estimation either, but rather on random readings that make no sense.
None. Zero. Nihil.
A billing wonderland but in a negative way.
Here it goes.
As I said in my previous post (click if interested), Bulgaria used to hold a special place in my heart, but troubles I never thought possible changed that.
I've written another piece on this matter. Please note that if you click on this link, you will be redirected to another blog I created specifically for documenting the absurd situation I've been trying to find answers to for the last three weeks. I didn’t expect Bulgaria to be a panacea; life in this magical land isn't all milk and chocolate (and I'm not particularly fond of chocolate or milk anyway). However, I also didn’t anticipate dealing with absurd situations created by an employee of a large company and placed on my shoulders.
While a broken arm wasn't the country's fault, the subsequent medical challenges strained my happiness. Amidst the chaos of menopause, a series of unexpected problems eroded my love for Bulgaria. I've lived in three different countries before and never encountered so many challenges in such a short time.
Am I getting old?
For sure. But I don’t think that matters.
The tipping point is an absurd water bill, which, despite payment, inexplicably reached 445 leva. Appeals for resolution were met with absolute indifference.
‘Pay the bill. Problem solved.’ They say.
‘But these are not my readings. These aren’t anyone readings. The previous owner paid his bills. You can’t deny that. There is proof. There are no readings. Where did you take these readings from? Are not the ones I provided. Was the system reset, data lost? It could have been a bug.’
‘Pay the 445 leva bill.’
‘But I paid 83 leva already for 22 m3 when I used 6. I am bleeding from my nose. It never happened before. It’s all because of this insane situation. Please, do something.’
‘Pay.’
God knows how many people have been or are dealing with what I am dealing with now. I am tempted to share everything on social media, but I fear attacks from unsociable sharks who live only to offer violently absurd opinions nobody asked for. I don’t like scandals, contradictions, accusations, or free advice that can’t apply to everything.
Who likes that?
My mind has been under attack since the day I was born, or even before that. I can’t deal with external wars that undermine my sanity. I fear, however, that I might be forced to do just that to obtain answers.
God, why isn’t anyone listening?
It’s their job. Their error.
It’s been three weeks since I first heard ‘Are you sure? That is an enormous quantity of water,’ a statement that made no sense to me since my water meter says something else, and incalculable energy has been wasted — energy that I need to heal. I am in mourning!
Oh, the irony of it all. Countless water cuts since April 2023. In August, I didn’t have water for 20 days. Every month, for a minimum of 5 days (not 2, as I wrote a few times). I never really counted the days, but I know when they exceed 10. I couldn’t shower, I couldn’t wash my clothes. Luckily, I live alone. I wonder what people with children did during all this time. I saw on Facebook how shocked they were. It was like living in 1900. The first thing I do when I wake up is check if there is water. I breathe in relief when there is, but by 10, the water is gone.
I've written about all this on other blogs, attempting to document this absurd situation in case I need to speak to a lawyer. If my boiler breaks, I will.
Why?
For some reason that I don’t understand, my boiler empties every single time there is a water cut. I know because when the water comes back, it makes very high-pitched sounds. It’s impossible to miss them. First comes the air, a lot of air, and my boiler complains. If it explodes, you know why. It’s a miracle it didn’t happen until now, given the enormous pressure it’s been under for all these months.
And now this bill, not based on estimations like the one I already paid, but on readings that do not exist. Imaginary ones, I guess. Somebody just wrote a random number down. I don’t know.
But how else can this be explained since the ex-owner paid his bills before transferring the contract? He couldn’t have done so without providing accurate readings.
No?
The employee I spoke with several times – my Bulgarian friends really, since I have not learned Bulgarian yet – blamed the discrepancy in water usage recordings on the meter. 'Maybe it’s broken. You must have had a water leak.'
However, the water meter has no problem; the seals are intact, and nobody tampered with them. I had no water leaks.
I compared the readings from now (November) with the ones I provided in April, and it reflects 6 m3. But they don’t have these readings.
It’s not the water meter; it's the lack of readings. Somebody simply didn’t record them, or the data was erased.
How can I express this differently?
Friends suggest an easy fix, but reality contradicts their assurances. This perplexing situation encroached on my life, dignity, and peace.
Once again, I want to emphasize that my intent is not to criticize Bulgaria; it's a personal fight for justice. My struggle is for closure.
#myserenetymatters What a cliché, right?
Thank you so much for taking the time to dive into my words. It's been an absolute privilege to entertain your curious mind.
Now, if you've got an insatiable appetite for reading books books for free and review them for fun, I've got an offer that will make your literary taste buds tingle!
Check my Amazon author profile by clicking here to see my books signed with Cristina G. or here to find my books signed with Cristina Gherghel.
Select a book of your choice, and all you have to do is reach out to me using the contact form.
I'll gladly send you an electronic version of the book that captures your interest.
Feel free to request as many books as you'd like.
I'll gladly send you an electronic version of the book that captures your interest.
Feel free to request as many books as you'd like.
Here are my Goodreads author profiles where you can explore and discover my work. Since I used a pen name in the past (apparently), I have two names to add a touch of complexity to my life.
- https://www.goodreads.com/cristina_gherghel
- https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16277613.Cristina_G_
Remember, your reviews are like the sprinkles on top of my writing sundae, so I eagerly await your witty thoughts and captivating feedback. Let's spread the joy of reading together!
P.S. Don't forget to bring your sense of humor along for the ride.
Gear up for an exciting and humor-laden excursion!Credit video, audio and pictures: most are mine, some are from Pixabay, some other are from PNGtree.