Private Universe

Jobs Around the House.

The next morning saw Jack arriving at Mrs Hawk’s cottage to fix the back door, which was dragging on the ground and hard to open or close. As he knocked on the door he reflected on the fact that he couldn’t remember being told about this, exactly, nor really the walk up the hill. Tired from last night, the voice in his head said, small wonder given how little sleep you got.

I feel good this morning, though, he thought. Blessed even.

He hadn’t given a thought to the last time he’d been with Mrs Hawk and so was surprised to find her standoffish this morning. She showed him the door and how it was sticking.

‘Wasn’t I as asked for ‘e to come up an’ look at it. T’was her ladyship’s idea when I told her it was broke. Dunno as you’ll be able to do aught with it, so don’t ‘e worry if you can’t. We manage now and we’ll be alright if we ‘as to go round instead.’

‘No, it’s no problem.’ He looked at her carefully. ‘Anyway, I think I owe you something for the daft carry on before.’

‘Um, well. Tools is in the shed aback o’ the scullery,’ she said, clearly unwilling to look at him or talk of that. She went back into the main room of the house and left him to get on.

The top hinge of the door was coming off the frame and the wood around it looked too rotted to let him just tighten the screws. He propped door, took it off, cut spaces for two new hinges, fitted them and rehung the door. The work took nearly an hour, but the time seemed to speed by. He enjoyed it. He couldn’t remember when he last done any carpentry, but it was good to be doing useful work. As he finished the door, he noticed that one of the small windows to a bedroom was broken. There was a pane of glass in the shed that, when he checked it, fitted, along with a tin of putty. Why not? He took out the old glass and replaced it with the new one.

After that it occurred that the back garden needed weeding, so he got a swan-necked hoe from the shed and started in.

‘No need for ‘e to do that.’ Mrs Hawk looked shamefaced. Awkward and odd, she was standing in her newly fixed doorway and not really looking at him.

‘It’s no problem,’ he said, ‘I’ve nothing else to do this morning and I prefer being busy.’

‘Han’t even offered you a cup o’ tea, have I? Bain’t even sociable, is it? How’s about you stop for a cuppa? Got nothin’ much to go with it mind, but I can offer you tea.’

He nodded and washed his hands at the scullery before going into the cottage. Mrs Hawk was fluttering around and still not making eye contact. Jack sat down to a cup of tea that had milk and sugar already  in it (he didn’t take either, preferring tea Asian fashion) and a plate with three ginger snaps besides it.

‘My favourites,’ he lied, knowing he’d have to soak the rock-hard lumps in the tea before he could get them soft enough to chew and certain he’d wind up over-soaking one and leaving half of it in the cup. They sat in silence for a while, until Jack decided there’d be no conversation till he started it.

‘Is there anything else that needs doing once I’ve finished with the weeding?’ he asked.

‘Dunno as there is. Dunno as I can ask anyway.’

‘Well, I’m offering, so you really don’t need to worry. I noticed you’ve got a pile of wood that needs chopping into kindling. I can finish the weeding and then do that, if there’s nothing more urgent that needs doing.’

‘Well, you shouldn’t stop too long. I’ve got nothing in to feed you.’

‘I’ve sandwiches from Bridie in my rucksack and I had a big breakfast anyway. It’s not a problem.’