Another morning, another identical scene. It’s always a nightmare version of Groundhog Day when in China.

Typical scenario: problem with something that needs to be fixed. Today’s scenario: stinking bathroom filled with sewer gas.

Typical result: Repairman telling you there is no problem. Today’s result: repairman (who arrives without any tools whatsoever) standing in the middle of the stink, just looking around and, not seeing water all over the floor, insisting that everything is fine, there is NO SMELL and NO PROBLEM.

This is after having investigated and diagnosed the problem ourselves, we found a website with pictures and walked our customer service rep through the wax toilet ring issue, symptoms, repairs, etc. She understood. This is an extremely common problem here (where plumbing is a relatively recent development). She told the repairman, argued.Couldn’t budge him. Didn’t even succeed in getting him to lift the toilet and check the seal. Well, how could he, he didn’t arrive with any tools now, did he?

They used the words “impossible to fix” to me yet again.  It’s the same every time. What is impossible is getting anyone to do their job. Every time you have to argue, hassle, scream, threaten, and generally make it clear that you will commit your life to making theirs miserable before you can get them to do the simplest thing. Like, literally, change out a faulty electrical plug, or in this case, replace a leaky toilet gasket.

Another day in China. Oy.