Suffocating The Cold Front

So apparently it’s supposedly cold. I’ve had the house to myself these past couple of days and anyone that comes over thinks I live in a freezer. Years of living in Canada have rendered me adaptable; cold blooded, so to speak. I am seriously thinking of wearing some shorts and a t-shirt this week, just to annoy people.

Anyways, on a more serious matter, I don’t remember it being this cold ever in Jordan. This is of course perfect because I don’t remember it ever being this expensive when it comes to heating a home. There are even reports of people cutting down trees to light fires, or selling public property like electric wiring and piping in order to buy some diesel. Walking in Jabal Al-Natheef last Wednesday, the area reeked of kerosene from cheap red soubas, the kind people warm bread on and stick their face in just to light a cigarette. I realized that most people are going to be more “resourceful” this year than in past years. Usually this means putting their lives in danger in order to save money or get warm; whichever is more feasible to do on any given day. One man told me they used to leave the souba on almost 24/7 before, but now turn it off more just to save money.

This might explain why no one has died from suffocation (thank God) this year, which is traditionally very common in past winters. There would usually be a few victims by now. Is it possible that economics has prevailed where years of public service announcements have failed? People might be turning off their soubas during the night in an effort to save money, in the process putting the whole suffocation problem on hold, even if it means sleeping in the cold.

Irony.

UPDATE:

Apparently, as its just emerged, thirteen people suffocated in souba-related deaths yesterday in both Karak and Irbid. I guess, expensive as it is, inflation is no match for the rising cold these days. May they rest in peace.

[h/t: mohanned]