ONE BLIND MOUSE

YESTERDAY MORNING I woke up with a start ... something wasn't quite right. And sure enough, the ceiling fan wasn't on, a sign that we had had a power cut at some point (probably not too long ago as I wasn't dripping in sweat). I'm not an air-con person, which is just as well.

Anyway I lay there for a bit, hoping that it would magically come back, as is normal during an interruption from TNB - but after about half an hour realised it probably wasn't an external problem.

So down I traipse to check the fuse box, and yes - the trip button was down, so I pushed it back up, thinking myself lucky it was a problem which was quickly fixable. Alas it wasn't to be - nothing came back on.

I rang TNB to be told there weren't any reported problems in our area, but that they would report it and I would get a call from their engineer. So I got dressed and popped next door to ask our neighbour - but they were OK. So it was obviously an isolated problem. Typical.

Still no sign from Tenaga, so I rang my electrician who was here within the hour. He checked around, hummed and haaed ... and then I heard a, "AHA!"

Guess what - one stupid mouse had run up the BACK of the fuse box and lodged itself within the wires, only to be electrocuted somehow or other. It had died a few days back and ... yes you've got it ... when it started to decompose, the juices shorted all our fuses hence the blackout. ARGHHHH!!! The smell when he opened the box was DISGUSTING!

Anyway my knight in shining armour (or rather a Honda Cub) got rid of the little carcass, had to ride off into the horizon to get a completely new junction box and fuses both inside AND outside, so it was another hour or so before we were back to normal again. I'm sorry for the poor mouse BUT to be honest sorrier for myself. The whole thing cost RM450, and now I hear noises from my fridge which means it may not have liked the sudden power cut!

To give Tenaga their due they did follow-up - after the problem was fixed, of course.

Still, if anyone can tell me the number for "mouse" I'll go and put RM10 on it I think ... !!!