copyright@gerryrose

HARRY’S HOME SWEET HOME

 Harry was very pleased with Jenny’s deep clean. He followed all of her suggestions, he had kept one nest of tables and put the rest on the gumtree site. He bought a folding dining room table and chairs. He didn’t know what sort of bedside cabinets or lamps to buy. He realised he needed some help. He messaged Babs and Jilly separately.

‘Delighted to tell you that my flat has had its deep clean and it is really looking great. I just need some help with a few décor pieces. Your help would be appreciated and lunch is on me in exchange.’

 Harry didn’t get a reply from Babs. Jilly got back to him very quickly and took him up on his offer. She said she could come over within the next 48 hours. She wanted to visit whilst the flat was gleaming.

 Harry agreed to see Jilly at 11am the next morning. He booked a table at the Southern Belle for 12.30 he thought this would give Jilly enough time to take a look at his flat now it was less cluttered and cleaner.

 When Jilly arrived Harry did feel that he had been a bit blind to her beauty. His neighbour was just leaving as Jilly arrived. Jeremy gave Harry a wink and a thumbs up sign when he saw Jilly enter Harry’s flat. 

‘Wow Harry this is a bit different to the last time I was here. Let me have a look at your bathroom.’

‘You will be glad to know that I took Jenny’s advice and got rid of the carpet I will get floor tiles I think.’

‘Harry this is such a transformation and your bath, loo and basin are really sparkling. Ok I think a few nice towels and a few baskets for your products would be a great touch.’

Jilly got her notebook out.

‘Coffee Jilly?’

‘Let me see your kitchen first.’

‘Was it that bad when you came over last time?’

‘Harry as the youth say it was minging.’

Jilly walked through the sitting room which was completely transformed and saw that the kitchen was now spotless.

‘I have bought myself a beans to cup coffee machine. I must say it has already saved me money, as I no longer go out to buy inferior coffee when I can have totally superb coffee at home. I love the way the flat smells of coffee now.’

‘Well it certainly looks the business Harry. I think there are just a few décor changes to be made here. Homes always look better I think when there is a sense of coordination. I am really not a fan of the mismatched look.’

 Jilly wrote her ideas in her notebook. Harry noticed that Jilly smelled very fragrant and everything about her oozed perfection, class, style and beauty. He couldn’t really understand why she didn’t have a partner. Harry made the coffee exactly the way Jilly liked it, strong, black and without sugar. He made himself a cappuccino and enjoyed showing off his milk frother. He took both mugs into the sitting room.

‘Oh I see you have bought a small dining table and have got rid of lots of those nests of tables which didn’t match and seemed to serve no purpose. Ah and the fireplace is devoid of the dusty cones. Your mismatched throws still don’t give the best impression though. At least those ghastly stuffed animals are gone!’

‘They are still here but boxed up. I can look at them whenever I want to. Yes I really need to buy a new sofa, but in the meantime, I would like you to suggest some nicer throws and a colour scheme.’

Jilly scribbled in her notebook.

‘I can’t understand why you would ever want to see those dreadful stuffed animals ever again. Harry this is great coffee by the way.’

‘I know and don’t you think the flat smells better, but I don’t think the stuffed animals were responsible for the bad smell.’

‘Yes it most certainly does and no they weren’t totally responsible, but they added to the general atmosphere of decay. I am not sure that the coffee machine is responsible for your flat smelling better Harry. Your cleaner worked wonders in the bathroom and I can see you also have some very upmarket and expensive reed diffusers!’

‘Presents from my dear sister.’

‘Ah well last time I was here Harry your flat did smell pretty bad.’

‘I know but what do you expect from someone like me?’

Jilly looked at Harry and thought that she couldn’t possibly comment. She finished her coffee.

‘Don’t take this the wrong way Harry, but I would like to visit your bedroom!’

Harry felt his stomach flip a little bit and he realised that he would like nothing better than to take Jilly to his bedroom and ravish her. He pushed that thought down and felt glad that he was wearing his rather roomy shorts.  

‘Oh of course and I need your advice on bedside tables and lamps. My sister said I need to get a new duvet, pillows, cover and a nice bedspread, a bed runner and some cushions. I really don’t have a clue about such things. My ex-wife used to take care of everything domestic.’

 ‘That doesn’t come as a surprise, last time I was here with Babs you had clothes all over the floor. You hadn’t made your bed and to be quite frank your sheets looked like they hadn’t been changed for several months. There were dust balls and cobwebs! I remember seeing the skid marks on the sheets and not being surprised that your girlfriend never wanted to stay here. I suppose you want to spruce your flat even further so Sadie will be happy to stay here. I think she would prefer coming in and finding that your flat is more uniform and has some sort of order to it. I find your mismatched décor makes me anxious. It just looks somewhat chaotic and thrown together without any thought as to what impression you want to give.’

 Harry was surprised that Jilly was so honest and remembered his girlfriend’s name. He didn’t tell her that he hadn’t heard from Sadie for at least 10 days. He realised that a woman like Jilly would never be interested in him. He was beginning to wonder what Sadie had seen in him. His reply gave nothing away.

‘Oh yes I want Sadie to feel comfortable here. I suppose I was a bit clueless about what a woman expects from a man.’

‘Harry you are not alone. Many men are clueless where women are concerned. I must admit that I am constantly amazed by how clueless men are about a lot of matters. I have noticed that divorced men and widowers seem to need someone to organise them and remind them to go to the barbers and see a dental hygienist. I don’t know many men who have never been married or lived with a woman I suppose they might know how to take care of themselves. I think the older a man gets, the more he wants to be mothered.’

‘Oh Sadie was always going on about me seeing a hygienist and getting my hearing checked.’

‘Well she is American and in general they think that we Brits have dreadful teeth.’

‘It sounds like I need a bit of a makeover too.’

‘I think your sister is right about the duvet etc. Now, do you have a budget? I could source the things you need or just signpost you. Which do you prefer.’

‘Well I haven’t a clue about what these things would cost. Can you give me a ball park figure?’

‘Are you going bargain basement, middle range or luxury?’

‘I think middle range would be fine with me.’

‘Ok let me do some research. I think a few bits of luxury would be wise as it would just take your flat to another level. I know you don’t want to dive in and buy new sofas just yet but I think two nice bedside cabinets and two stylish lamps, would be money well spent. A quality bedspread would be good too. These are the things that people see when they walk into your bedroom. I think you can get some cheap mugs and accessories for the kitchen, it is important to get things that match Harry. You seem to prefer random items. I think some reasonably priced cushions and throws for the sitting room and bedroom would be good. I think we need to stick to a colour theme which compliments each room and we need the items to match. What are your favourite colours Harry?’

‘I don’t really have an opinion about what colours I like in a house.’

‘Oh and I see you are wearing hearing aids now Harry, so yes next stop is the dental hygienist.

Harry suddenly felt rather bored with what Jilly was saying. He realised that despite her beauty there was something about her which was slightly irritating. She was a little schoolmarmish. He was a broad brush person and she seemed to have an overactive need to pay attention to detail. He decided that she was probably not much fun in bed either.

‘Ok then we will go with what colours will suit the light in your bedroom and sitting room. I think your sitting room which is west facing would benefit from some lighter tones than you currently have. Your brown mis-matched throws absorb the light and make the room look too dark and gloomy. As you know I like things to match. Your east facing bedroom would look great with light blues and greens. Your busy flowery duvet cover, does nothing to create a calming tranquil space.’

Harry found listening to Jilly discuss his décor suddenly made him want to yawn and seemed to drain his energy. Why would someone get so excited by such things? He felt the need to shut the conversation down and regretted agreeing to lunch.

‘Would £1500 be enough Jilly?’

‘I think I can work with that amount but let me go away and do my research. I must say your cleaner has done an amazing job. Can I have her details?’

‘Yes of course, her company has a rather strange name, but I can’t fault her work ethic and ability to deliver what she promises.’

Harry wrote down Jenny’s number for Jilly. As he led Jilly out of his flat, Jeremy was coming back in and he continued his lewd winking and thumbs up signs. Harry wondered how Jilly and Jenny would get on. He thought they were like chalk and cheese. Jenny likes dirt and Jilly likes perfection and everything to match. He was looking forward to his lunch even though he felt that Jilly might bore him to death. He hoped it met Jilly’s expectations and high standards. A thought popped into Harry’s head. He felt that someone who craved perfection might not be the easiest of partners and perhaps that was why Jilly was divorced and single. Harry felt glad that he did not feel the need to embrace perfection. However, he wondered if his messy somewhat chaotic lifestyle had taken its toll on his relationship with the very together Sadie. His thoughts wandered to Gemma. She was a woman who oozed sexuality and looked good without being over pruned and manicured like Jilly was. Jilly tried too hard he felt. Once they had ordered their food Harry went to the lavatory. He removed his hearing aids and looked forward to concentrating on the delicious lunch he had ordered. Jilly being Jilly, refused to share a bottle of wine as she made a point of not drinking at lunchtime. Harry felt Jilly had too many rules and should lighten up. However he was looking forward to his flat looking very inviting and together. He would need to get the plates and glasses that Babs had promised him and then he could hold his party and entice Gemma into his flat and his life.