Explosion

Overnight there was an explosion in Kabul. From my hotel it sounded like thunder. Or so I was told. I wouldn’t know; I slept through it. So much for my cat-like reflexes.

No, it wasn’t a bomb, it was one of the gas canisters used for heating. And once the source of the explosion was clarified, the foreigners breathed a sigh of relief. Nevermind that we all have gas canisters in our rooms.

This just goes to show how irrational we all can be when it comes to measuring risks. The chances of me being blown up by a terrorist are infinitesimal, and yet that fear is what preys upon all our minds. The odds of me being blown up by a gas heater? Not entirely sure how large that is. Apparently a local restaurant was blown apart by a gas canister last month. Gas explosions seem to be occurring with greater frequency than terrorist acts in Kabul.

But I’m not giving up my gas heater. There’s zero insulation in the buildings and as soon as the heat source is off, the temperature plummets. Besides, I’m only just getting over my cold.