A Uniquely Cairene Experience

About a week ago I returned from the states to discover that my cooking gas had run out.

This was a horrible revelation. Almost exactly a year ago when I moved in to my apartment I discovered that, instead of being hooked up to "mains", I would be cooking (and heating water in the kitchen) from bottled gas.

Two large, rusty canisters stand in my kitchen. One supplies gas to my stove, the other to the hot water heater. The landlord informed me that they would last only a few months and, that when they ran out, I would have to hail down the gas guy and have them come hook it up for me.

The gas guy became known to me by his clanging on weekend mornings when clanging was not a welcome sound to be wafting through my window. I imagined it was a guy on a truck, driving slowly through the streets, clanging the cans.

I was wrong. As the year anniversary came of me moving in, I knew I would have to soon replace the cooker gas - especially as I've become more and more adventurous in my culinary quests. Finally, one morning as I drank my tea on the balcony, I saw the gas man go by...on a cart pulled by a donkey. Fortunately, by this time, I was quite accustomed to seeing the donkey carts and horse carts in my neighborhood, so not too much of a shock.

A few days ago, my friend who was visiting from the states alerted me to the clanging - it's TIME! Unfortunately, the clanging came on a morning that followed a late late night and by the time I'd gotten myself together, I had missed the cart. The next morning - ANOTHER CHANCE! - but no donkey cart?? Instead, a single man rode a bicycle with about 4 canisters attached to it. The canisters looked very different from mine, so I let him pass.

This morning, I got up and showered and prepared for the gas man (it is a national holiday and my plan to sleep in hadn't really panned out). I was a bit worried, because I didn't have much small change lying around the house - just like every other resident of Cairo; but I would not be thwarted! I ran downstairs and flagged down two men pushing a bicycle laden with EIGHT! canisters! (sidebar: the arabic word for 8 is tamanya)

The guy came upstairs and replaced the cooker gas quickly and then asked for something...I didn't know this Arabic word, but I knew the motion he was making - he wanted a match.

I had heard several people joke that they had heard the gas men check if there is a leak by lighting a match at the connector. I had no idea it was true. I handed the guy the matches and scurried to the rear of the apartment - just in case.

I came back and all was well, he stored the canister under the sink where it belongs, helped me get the stove working again, and took my old canister away. The total cost of this service, including the cooking gas, was $3.64. The gas should last me at least 6 months, even with all the cooking I do now.

And I've gotten a uniquely Cairene experience out of the deal.