said Ken, “we’re visiting friends.”
“ That’s
okay by me,” Bob said, “I’ve some work I should get back
to.”
He went
directly to his shop when he got home and moved the electric fire
closer to his seat and settled down to paint. He used the tins of
acrylic because he wanted to find out how much paint twenty village
sets required, a figure he might need for his books, though he was
pretty sure he didn’t have to be that particular when calculating
the cost of making a set. He’d use the tubes when he had just a few
to paint. He’d completed half of the painting by five o’clock.
He was putting
the tins of paint on the shelf when someone knocked on the door. He
was very surprised; it was unusual for anyone to visit. He opened
the door.
“ Maria!
Is that you? Hello. How are you? Here, come in. Jane and Joe told
me that they had seen you in Winchester.”
“ Hello
Bob. Well I was interested in what Small End looked like, having
heard so much about it from all of you last month. I decided to
take a couple of night’s holiday and I’m staying at Bonnie’s Bed
and Breakfast. I arrived earlier this afternoon and phoned Jane but
there was no reply, then I phoned you and again, no reply. So I
asked Bonnie where you and Jane live. There was nobody at home when
I called at Jane’s place so I came here. I thought that you weren’t
here as well but then I saw a light on in this building so I came
here.”
“ It is
good to see you Maria. Sit down. I’ll just tidy up then we can go
to the house and have a cup of tea or a drink. I’ve still got some
port but I’ve other stuff as well.”
“ So this
is where you make your toys and ornaments. The shop’s bigger than I
imagined. And all these toys! I didn’t think you made that
many.”
“ Well
things have changed since I saw you in Lagos. I liked that holiday
so much that I want to have more in the future, two each year if I
can, but that means I’ll have to earn more money. So that’s what
I’m doing most of my time now, making lots of toys. Two retailers
sell them for me. I’ve decided about next year, Maria, I want to
return to Lagos. Can you ask your friend to book the apartment that
we saw in the Old Town? For next February, for the whole month, if
that’s possible.”
“ Of
course. I’ll check when I get home. You are talking about the
expensive place, the one that cost twelve hundred pounds a
month?”
“ Yes,
that’s the one. It’s such a nice location. I’ll look forward to it
all year if your friend can book it.”
“ Well,
she’ll do what she can. I hope it’s not already taken.”
“ Thanks.
Well, I’m done. Come, let’s go and have a drink.”
Bob ushered
Maria out, locked the door and they crossed the garden and went
into the house.
“ This is
the kitchen. Here, give me your coat. What would you like to
drink?”
“ Tea’s
fine. I’ve been drinking lots of it this past month.”
“ I’ll
put the kettle on and we can go to the lounge until it’s
ready.”
Bob hung the
coat on one of the a hooks that were on the wall beside the back
door then opened the door to the lounge.
“ Sorry
it’s a bit messy. Sit there, that’s where I sit when reading. You
can see a bit of the country from that window.”
“ Thanks
Bob. This is a comfortable-looking room.”
“ Yes. I
think so too. I clean and dust it once a week, on Sundays, usually.
That’s why it’s untidy.”
“ It
looks okay to me. Er, what’s that noise?”
“ That’s
the kettle, it’s boiling. I’ll go and make the tea. Won’t be
long.”
Bob went to
the kitchen and made a pot of tea then looked for biscuits. He had
his digestives but wanted something better for Maria. He thought he
had some cream filled biscuits left over from Christmas and
eventually found the package at the back of the shelf. He arranged
the biscuits on a plate and put it, the pot of tea, the bowl of
sugar and a jug of milk on a tray and carried it into the lounge
and
“ That’s
okay by me,” Bob said, “I’ve some work I should get back
to.”
He went
directly to his shop when he got home and moved the electric fire
closer to his seat and settled down to paint. He used the tins of
acrylic because he wanted to find out how much paint twenty village
sets required, a figure he might need for his books, though he was
pretty sure he didn’t have to be that particular when calculating
the cost of making a set. He’d use the tubes when he had just a few
to paint. He’d completed half of the painting by five o’clock.
He was putting
the tins of paint on the shelf when someone knocked on the door. He
was very surprised; it was unusual for anyone to visit. He opened
the door.
“ Maria!
Is that you? Hello. How are you? Here, come in. Jane and Joe told
me that they had seen you in Winchester.”
“ Hello
Bob. Well I was interested in what Small End looked like, having
heard so much about it from all of you last month. I decided to
take a couple of night’s holiday and I’m staying at Bonnie’s Bed
and Breakfast. I arrived earlier this afternoon and phoned Jane but
there was no reply, then I phoned you and again, no reply. So I
asked Bonnie where you and Jane live. There was nobody at home when
I called at Jane’s place so I came here. I thought that you weren’t
here as well but then I saw a light on in this building so I came
here.”
“ It is
good to see you Maria. Sit down. I’ll just tidy up then we can go
to the house and have a cup of tea or a drink. I’ve still got some
port but I’ve other stuff as well.”
“ So this
is where you make your toys and ornaments. The shop’s bigger than I
imagined. And all these toys! I didn’t think you made that
many.”
“ Well
things have changed since I saw you in Lagos. I liked that holiday
so much that I want to have more in the future, two each year if I
can, but that means I’ll have to earn more money. So that’s what
I’m doing most of my time now, making lots of toys. Two retailers
sell them for me. I’ve decided about next year, Maria, I want to
return to Lagos. Can you ask your friend to book the apartment that
we saw in the Old Town? For next February, for the whole month, if
that’s possible.”
“ Of
course. I’ll check when I get home. You are talking about the
expensive place, the one that cost twelve hundred pounds a
month?”
“ Yes,
that’s the one. It’s such a nice location. I’ll look forward to it
all year if your friend can book it.”
“ Well,
she’ll do what she can. I hope it’s not already taken.”
“ Thanks.
Well, I’m done. Come, let’s go and have a drink.”
Bob ushered
Maria out, locked the door and they crossed the garden and went
into the house.
“ This is
the kitchen. Here, give me your coat. What would you like to
drink?”
“ Tea’s
fine. I’ve been drinking lots of it this past month.”
“ I’ll
put the kettle on and we can go to the lounge until it’s
ready.”
Bob hung the
coat on one of the a hooks that were on the wall beside the back
door then opened the door to the lounge.
“ Sorry
it’s a bit messy. Sit there, that’s where I sit when reading. You
can see a bit of the country from that window.”
“ Thanks
Bob. This is a comfortable-looking room.”
“ Yes. I
think so too. I clean and dust it once a week, on Sundays, usually.
That’s why it’s untidy.”
“ It
looks okay to me. Er, what’s that noise?”
“ That’s
the kettle, it’s boiling. I’ll go and make the tea. Won’t be
long.”
Bob went to
the kitchen and made a pot of tea then looked for biscuits. He had
his digestives but wanted something better for Maria. He thought he
had some cream filled biscuits left over from Christmas and
eventually found the package at the back of the shelf. He arranged
the biscuits on a plate and put it, the pot of tea, the bowl of
sugar and a jug of milk on a tray and carried it into the lounge
and
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