Ian Weinberg

6 years ago · 2 min. reading time · ~100 ·

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Passing water

Passing water

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I’m sitting here in my consulting suite watching the water pouring out of the basins and beginning to flood the floor. When it first began, which was about half an hour ago, I had sprinted to the maintenance department and sought urgent help. Arriving back I witnessed the rising water levels, now pouring out of the examining room into the main consulting space and into the reception area. But this is not just ordinary water. This water emanates from the renal dialysis unit one floor above us. In other words it is urinary water. The way I figure it, the outlet to our plumbing is blocked so that the pressure from the renal unit above, is all pouring out through our basins.

I’ve picked up all the perishables off the floor and put them on to tables and surfaces. Now I see the water line emerge under the dividing dry-walling and begin to flood across my carpet towards my desk. The entire hospital cleaning gang has now arrived, with mops and things as well as vacuum appliances of all types. And still the water pours and floods. There’s endless traffic of workers carrying out full buckets and bringing empty one’s back in.

Water fascinates me. The medium of life. Everything requires water for its existence. Wherever life has existed, the priority has always been the availability of a reliable supply of water. And so, through the ages, much of Man’s time, energy and ingenuity has been directed to the securing and maintenance of a dependable water supply for survival.

But as much as we’ve incorporated water into our lives, we’ve also directed much time, energy and ingenuity to containing it and to keep it out of our lives. Thus we’ve developed elaborate piping and irrigation systems and also water-proofed ourselves and our buildings. And all so often water thwarts us by finding a way out, or in!

Water forms the backdrop of our lives. The rain and snow, the sea, lakes, rivers and of course the early morning dew. And in our personal space, water is emotion – our tears of sadness or laughing happiness. Water is appetite, salivation and the taste of a delicious meal. Not forgetting of course the moisture that underpins our carnal needs and pleasures.

And every now and then we are dramatically reminded of angry water – the mighty storms at sea, floods and other devastating natural events orchestrated by powerful forces beyond our control. Perhaps there’s something in all that astrology. I’m a so called water sign (Cancerian) and have spent so much of my time in water environments. I also seem to attract more than my fair share of water leaks! Which reminds me …

The cleaners have done a great job but the carpets are wrecked and the walls look decidedly unhealthy near the floors. It’s still leaking, but the water is now being contained in buckets. At least the plumbers are here now and the flood is diminishing. There’s also that pleasant homely smell of urine in the air! Ah well, at least the folk upstairs had their dialysis. And after all there’s nothing to be gained by being pissed off. This too shall pass …


"
#time #floor #water #life #flood
Comments

Ian Weinberg

6 years ago #31

#45
Well here's the post-script Gerald Hecht We spent the week working in a public toilet while the assessors worked out the damages. They then presented the bill to the renal unit. Appears that someone in the renal unit flushed a linen TOWEL down the toilet which blocked the main sewer outlet!! As regards branding, here's the thing: Your brand may be the sum of specific mixes of own and other brands. In effect you become a 'blend' and not a 'brand'. I would propose that the blend owner supersedes the brand owners - much like coffee and whisky. Looking forward to the Hecht blend!

Paul Walters

6 years ago #30

#45
Gerald Hecht I will gladly accept your personal brand should you feel so inclined to bequeath it to me. I will treasure it and it will take pride of place on my mantlepiece.

Ian Weinberg

6 years ago #29

#42
Not to mention the thingies dissolved in it!

Paul Walters

6 years ago #28

#39
Ian Weinberg touche

Harvey Lloyd

6 years ago #27

I believe you have redefined a bad day at the office and possibly could post this piece in the toxic work environments hive. Controlled water is the key to happiness, at least when considering the toilet seat and grand children controlling the stream. At least until i read this. I will never complain again about a fire house lose in the bathroom again.

Ian Weinberg

6 years ago #26

Actually Paul Walters , I'm quite Uro-centric at this point.

Ian Weinberg

6 years ago #25

#37
Yes indeed Paul - it's back to the grind-stone in Urine Alley tomorrow!

Paul Walters

6 years ago #24

Ian Weinberg one pun atop another , just a flood of them. Back to work sir , the floors are now dry

Ian Weinberg

6 years ago #23

#31
Thanks for that Shelley Brown Yep, sounds like you too have strong water leanings! The big clean-up starts on Monday. Hopefully we can get the urine odour to subside. I suppose had we been a urological practice it would have boosted business!

Ian Weinberg

6 years ago #22

#32
Thanks Pascal Derrien Lots of connotations about that 'fluid'. We once had it coming through the roof - I guess you could refer to that as a 'golden shower' ....

Ian Weinberg

6 years ago #21

#30
Thanks for that Jerry Fletcher Yes indeed there's a time to go all out to influence an outcome and a time to accept things beyond your control. For me personally, that's been the most difficult learning curve - to recognize the futility of action and just accept. In surgery we call it 'masterly inactivity!'

Pascal Derrien

6 years ago #20

My eyes are wet and just reading this my bones are humid , kool piece about the liquid ( I was about to write life liquid but decided not to because Ken would probably interpret the whole thing differently) :-)

Jerry Fletcher

6 years ago #19

Ian, What a great reminder that there is no way we are really in control. Somehow the universe is going to do what it is going to do and as my Mom says. "You can, when in danger or in doubt run in circles scream and shout or you can get on with it." Nice to hear how you "got on with it."

Ian Weinberg

6 years ago #18

#27
Glad to hear Vincent Andrew In this part of the world if you drink more than 2 glasses of water, you become euphoric from all the anti-depressant metabolites in the water supply!

Ian Weinberg

6 years ago #17

#26
Thanks Joyce - best wishes.

Joyce 🐝 Bowen Brand Ambassador @ beBee

6 years ago #16

another remarkable piece.

Ian Weinberg

6 years ago #15

#24
Thanks debasish majumder

Ian Weinberg

6 years ago #14

#20
😂👍

Ken Boddie

6 years ago #13

There's no life without water, Ian, as you well know. Your tale of plumbing, both renal and municipal, reminds me of the old Chinese gentleman who was found lost in the Australian outback for many days, in the middle of a drought. When asked how he survived he stated in broken English: "Me no daft, Me no silly, Me drink water, From my willy" 🤣😂🤣

Ian Weinberg

6 years ago #12

#18
Indeed Praveen Raj Gullepalli water is our major component. You raise an interesting point - with so much of the medication that we're taking, now being picked up on assays of the water supply, probably a good idea to drink selected urine to keep the medical expenses down!

Ian Weinberg

6 years ago #11

#14
Thanks for that Franci\ud83d\udc1dEugenia Hoffman

Ian Weinberg

6 years ago #10

#12
on consulting my friendly astrologer Gert Scholtz I'm informed that Gemini's are the great communicators. Starts making perfect sense!

Gert Scholtz

6 years ago #9

Ian Weinberg Aaah Dr Weinberg, maybe there is something to that astrology thingie - as the good doctor Cancerian is drawn to water of all sorts, so this Gemini is drawn to heights and air. Did Freud miss this?

Gert Scholtz

6 years ago #8

Ian Weinberg Aaah Dr Weinberg, maybe there is something to that astrology thingie - as the good doctor Cancerian is drawn to water of all sorts, so this Gemini is drawn to heights and air. How did Freud miss this?

Gert Scholtz

6 years ago #7

Ian Weinberg Aaah Dr Weinberg, maybe there is something to that astrology thingie - as the good doctor Cancerian is drawn to water of all sorts, so this bee (Gemini) is drawn to heights and air. How did Freud miss this?

Lance 🐝 Scoular

6 years ago #6

👍👌👏👏 👥ed 🐝🐝🐤🔥🚲

Ian Weinberg

6 years ago #5

#4
Thanks for that Tausif Mundrawala Water rules!

Ian Weinberg

6 years ago #4

#3
At my stage of life the best compliment you can give is 'nice stream!'

Ian Weinberg

6 years ago #3

#5
😂 Good one Phil Friedman

Phil Friedman

6 years ago #2

Wow, Ian Weinberg, that is a pisser. Look, let me tell you a story to hopefully keep up your spirits. Two Ivy League college snobs go into a men's room. One of them attends Harvard and the other Yale. Standing next to one another at the urinals, the Yale man finishes first and starts to leave the men's room. The Harvard guy says to nobody in particular other than the wall, "At Haaahrvard, we wash our hands after unrinating." To which the Yale guys replies as he exits, "At Yale, we learn not to piss on our hands."

Robert Cormack

6 years ago #1

I thought for a moment there, Ian Weinberg, you were going to end with "This too will piss..." Nice piece.

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