I rent two garages from the council in which to house Esmeralda and Edward. In Polish terms the fees are steep, I pay more than what I receive from the flatmates, that's how much I pay... an exorbitant amount. There is no electricity, the doors are hanging off and both roofs leak. In one of the garages I have a source of illumination... a single bare lightbulb hanging from the ceiling.
The building administration told me that certain neighbours have complained about my garage light. Why? The electricity comes from the communal source and therefore everyone pays for it. The light is hardly used and costs next to nothing but no matter. I paid for new communal central heating pipes to be installed as it was necessary and the admin said they didn't have the funds, but let that pass. I pay for the cleaner who does the staircases as the admin has no money, but never mind. Every year I hold a Christmas party to which all come and have a rollicking time, but that is of no consequence. I regularly give money to their begging children who play downstairs but that is irrelevant. The neighbours refuse to pay what is an insignificant sum simply because it is not their light. And I mean insignificant. The cost of one 40W light bulb (switched on for maybe 10 minutes a week) shared between 26 households. Insignificant.
"Okay," I said, "get the council to bill me and I will pay."
"But you do not have an electricity meter in the garage... you must install one. And then you must go the council and tell them and sign a contract. Then you must go to the electricity board and tell them and sign another contract."
This is typical and after six years in Poland does not surprise me. The council made no mention of this when I first rented the garage (they probably didn't know) and now I must go to the time and expense of installing an electric meter for them so that they can bill me a few pence every month... and for those dilapidated shacks I pay a kings ransom in rent.
When I lament about life in Poland all I get from my Polish pals is...
"Welcome to Poland!"
