I turned on the tap. Shaking my head, not believing my eyes. The water was white. Like milk. Turning the bath tap, I found the same. Milk.
I tasted it, then wished I had not. Near retching, I checked all the other taps. The same. No, it can't be. I wondered about the neighbours. They were at home, so I checked. Their expressions gave the answer before their words.
"We've had it analysed", they said. "It's only 35% water and 40% oil. The rest ... you'd rather not know."
"This is disgraceful" I said. "What's being done about it ?"
"You haven't heard ? Where have you been this past month ?"
It all came back to me then. I'd just come out of hospital. All the time, everyone talked about it. That was all they talked about : the water. Being delirious most of the time, I did not even try to make sense of it. Even after my recovery, it all sounded like gibberish. I had begun to wonder if the delirium had returned.
It had not. I was fine. So I just ignored the talking. By the time of my release, the water-talk was, at best, at the back of my mind. Now, it all came flooding back. The sharp rise in the incidence of delirious complaints. The public outcry. The rationing, imposed by over-zealous govt officials. The street riots ...
Hospital patients were exempt from the rations. But I was out now. Where was my ration notice-card ? She'd promised to keep the mail for me - in the house somewhere. Where was it, again ? She'd left yesterday. To where, I could not recall.
Had to be in one of the drawers, which were all still locked. The keys. Where are THEY ? The doctors warned me of the memory loss. Here they are.
The last drawer. Whatever you're looking for is always there. I pulled out the official-looking envelope.
"Fresh water allowance notice" it declared. "Your personal water ration for this month has been reached." What ? Does that mean I'll get no fresh water till next month ? Two weeks away. The white water was undrinkable - not even fit for animal consumption. Who programmed the stupid computer that printed this notice ? I read on.
"We advise that, in future, you use your water ration more wisely. If you wish to apply for a distillation permit, please contact ..."
This stupid machine has added the exempted water I used in hospital to my personal account ! I could complain, but any adjustment to a govt account takes ages.
So I applied for a distillation permit. I received the reply the same day - computer mail is marvellous. Except in this case.
"Your application has been rejected", read the blandly bureaucratic reply, "due to current heavy demands. Your further application will be welcome in no less than two weeks ...";
It rambled on about the seriousness of the situation, and all the necessary sacrifices. Perhaps I was to be one of the necessary sacrifices ...

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