Air cool!

Nothing could be more annoying than someone who complains a lot. So to avoid annoying myself, I stopped complaining about the weather and did the logical thing to do: buy a cooler.

I have never used a cooler, it’s never been heard of back home because people use either a portable electric fan or have an airconditioning unit installed. I asked several people from work what it looks like, how big it is, how much it costs and where’s the best place to buy it.

After work, I went to Lajpat Nagar market with sheer excitement. I told myself tonight will be the end of those hot, restless nights when sleep used to elude me and sweat would wet my sheets. I bought a beige and brown combo cooler (which won out over the purple-as-a-yam and the orange-as-a-jailbird-uniform), took it home and carried it up three flights to the flat with the anticipation of a groom for his new bride.

I was freakin’ disappointed. One, it was supposed to blow cool air which it didn’t. The air coming from the supposed cooler was only a few temperatures down from the hot air coming from the ceiling fan. Two, it was leaking. You’re supposed to take out one of its “doors” on either side and pour about a bucket of water in just beneath the fan. Out of sheer excitement, I didn't put the "door" properly from whence the leak came.

The following night, just when everything was fixed (fixed the side door, switched on the “pump” button for half a minute then switch to “fan” mode just like the sales man instructed back at the shop), we got a power cut. [insert scream and curses here] I mean, come on – I just want to get some sleep!

As an epilogue, a friend told me that the bloody cooler was supposed to be installed by the window from which it could get fresh, cool air, and not on the floor where I nonchalantly placed it. Now it blows cooler air – or so I think. Placebo is still good otherwise I will be very much tempted to just throw it over the balcony.