The (second) greatest story ever told.

Let me tell you a story. It's a nice story. A real family story. A story for the masses. Rousing and heartwarming. What is this wonderful story, you ask? Let me tell you. When I got to Wuhan last Sunday, we were taken to a nice hotel with beds, toilets, and showers. I took a hot shower that night after days of being on planes and in airports, and another Monday morning for good measure. Monday night we arrived in Shiyan and moved into our apartments. We don't have hot water tanks at this school. There is a hot water main that services the whole campus and it is turned on twice a day, in the morning for an hour and at night for 3 or 4 hours. Well, Monday night we couldn't get our hot water to work, so we didn't know if we were trying at the wrong time or what. Cold showers Monday night. Tuesday we missed the hot water in the morning and again in the evening due to not really caring because we were jet lagged. Cold showers Tuesday. Wednesday, the same. Thursday the same. Friday night we were hanging out and Angelyn came running in to say the water was boiling hot. She had already taken a shower, Derek goes to his apartment to take a shower, and I walk our company down to the bus so that they can get home. By the time I got back to the apartment, the hot water was off. Derek only caught a minute or two of it. Cold shower Friday night. Saturday morning I still hadn't quite figured out when the water comes on in the morning so I missed it. That night we came home from dinner in time to catch the water, but couldn't figure out when the water came on. Around 10:45 I figured out the water was on in the other's apartments, just not mine. The valve was off! I got it fixed but my water never warmed up, even after turning on the hot water valve. I went to use someone else's shower and missed the water by a few minutes. Cold shower again. Sunday morning, couldn't catch the hot water. Sunday night the hot water was on in the others' apartments but mine was still cold, even after opening my valves. I got my things and went to use someone else's shower. The water cut off while I was gathering my things. Cold shower AGAIN. Monday, sleep through the morning water. Monday night, teach from 6:45 to 9:10. Go eat some dinner. Come back to the apartments. Derek says his shower is hot! I run and grab my stuff! I jump in his shower! It's HOT WATER!!! I was excited. That was perhaps one of the best showers ever. I cannot describe to you the joy that I felt standing in under that stream of water. Of course, after trying for a week and finally having to use someone else's shower to get hot water, I came back to my apartment and stuck my hand in my own shower. It worked, of course. Dumb shower. At least I know that tomorrow it will more than likely work again. More than likely. Ah, the power of hot water.