There have been carrying out roadworks just outside my flat for the last couple of weeks digging it up and laying new pipes. I get back tonight and find the Gas Central Heating has turned off and the Cooker is not working.
I phone up the suppliers and having contacted them, they say they will send an engineer out. Oh, and before they forget, can I open all the windows, turn all the gas appliance off and not turn anything on/off in case it sparks, just in case there is a gas leak.
::insert visions of **CIAS ** blowing up a small block of flats as he turns on the lights::
Yes, Diomedes, I was thinking of you at this point in time. It’s probably your fault somehow 
Ok, so no cooking, no heat. Get out small electric heater, there is no smell of Gas, so I turn it on hoping nothing blows up and order pizza. Hey, any excuse.
An hour or so later, the engineer arrives with some presents and the news. Outside the blocks of flats hidden by a car is a hole. A not very big hole, but deep enough to get to the gas pipe. Inside it can be clearly seen the capped off end of our mains pipe. No chance of a gas leak, he says as he passes across a large electric hotplate and a small electric heater. Apparently it should be fixed by tomorrow so, for me at least, it is not too much of an inconvenience.
I’m just not sure whether to be mad at the company for cutting the gas off with no notice or amused that one phone call later and we get all these things for free for being inconvenienced. I’ll know by tomorrow evening, depending on whether the gas has been reconnected for the weekend.