Today the tax collector guy (for garbage and what's the other service fee collected with it?) rang the bell and I invited him in, only to realize that had no tram with me. It was happening the first time. His reaction was so surprising, 'don't worry', 'don't worry' (mi anhaksdatzek) and left. Is this the usual reaction to everyone? Or as a customer with good paying history knew that he could get it the next day.
A couple of months ago the water guy (not the same person) knocked the door. He was new at this job and invited himself in. I asked to see his credentials. I have lived too long in the West to trust complete strangers. At first he did not understand me (an unusual request?) then was ready to show his ID. There was a cigarette in his hand. In Canada even when it's subzero people go out for smoke. The guy asked how many people lived in the apartment, I got suspicious (info was supposed to be in his books) and told him the truth, two. He said according to his documents only one person was registered at the address and the name he gave was my family name and Nigol's truncated family name as a first name. A person who does not exist. Explained him so. He said why don't we continue to pay for one person per registration info. He kept smoking and sitting in the chair, noticed some English books and asked where were we from. Then gave the name of his cousin in US whom I did not recognize. After the Genocide his cousin's family went to America theirs to Eastern Armenia, his father was a 'hi-aser'. There was resentment in his voice, the resentment of a person who thinks was cheated by life, and confessed that they were forced to collect taxes (a job below his station, as before he had a higher position). I paid for the whole year - I really don't like the smell of cigarettes in our apartment, particularly his brand.