hall to start off. The kitchen and bathroom have been refurbished quite recently so they’re fine and there’s another room which I use for my work but that can wait till later.’
‘Whit is it you dae?’
‘Research – I don’t actually carry out the research myself but I do the writing up. I examine the data, work out the statistical evidence and all that. Do you know much about homeopathy?’
‘No really. But Liz buys they wee remedies oot of Boots if you’ve got a cold or that.’
‘Yes, it’s getting more popular now.’
‘Right enough. Aboot yer decoratin – did you have any colours in mind?’
‘I’m not sure. Something neutral in here – keep it light. And maybe a violet-blue for the bedroom. I did wonder about orange for the hall. It’s such a healing colour and I think it would be welcoming.’
‘Ah presume you’re thinkin aboot gettin a new carpet.’
She looked at me as if she didnae know whit ah was talkin aboot for a minute, then a smile broke ower her face.
‘I see what you mean. The red wouldn’t exactly go with it. Yes I’m getting rid of it. Actually I might just get a rug. The floorboards underneath are polished – I can’t imagine why they covered it over with that thing.’
‘They?’
‘The people I bought it from. The Tweedies – their name’s still on the front door in case there’s mail for them. Oh, and speaking of the front door – I’d like that painted too. Bright red. Good feng shui. That’s why I haven’t put up a proper brass nameplate on the door yet – I was waiting till I got the door painted.’
‘Have you no been here lang then?’
‘Three months. Look, d’you think you could do the job?’
‘It’s no a difficult job if you’re just wantin it painted. Coupla coats in here and the bedroom, three in the hall tae cover that dark colour. It’s just ah’d need tae talk tae ma brother first – you know we don’t usually work this far out.’
‘Do you work with your brother then?’
‘Aye. We used tae work for other firms but him and me set up thegether nine year ago and we’ve never looked back. Always had work on the go and it’s nearly always word of mouth now. Wan guy works for us full-time and we can call in some others if it’s a bigger job.’
‘So you’re doing well.’
‘Cannae complain. Look, suppose ah send you a quote and throw in a bit extra for the travellin. Ah’ll talk tae John and check he’s up for it. We could fit you in the week after next if he’s OK aboot it.’
‘Great. Thanks, Jimmy. I’d be happy to pay whatever you think is suitable. I just couldn’t face some strange men wandering round my house.’
‘Sorry, Barbara – the job’s aff.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘If you don’t want strange men wanderin roond yer hoose ye cannae call in me and our John – ah mean they don’t come any stranger than us.’
It’s a funny place, Edinburgh. An hour away fae Glesga and you might as well be in another country. Another planet even. Ah mean it just feels different, it’s as if it’s got different air or sumpn. Clearer. The weather’s too – doesnae rain as much. Caulder, brighter. Somehow ah felt different as well, gaun through there tae work. At first ah thought it’d be a drag travellin through but ah sterted tae really look forward tae it. Maistly ah was on ma ain. Just how it turnt oot. John and me and Boabby done the first coupla days thegether, gettin the big stuff done, ceilins and walls, but then we had tae juggle it wi another job that come up in Jordanhill – guy we’d worked for had a burst tank in his loft and the place was in a right tip. The others got on wi that while ah continued wi Barbara’s place. There was a lot of footery stuff – cornice she wanted picked oot in different colours – and ah really like daein them while it does John’s heid in. ‘You don’t mind gaun through tae Embra by yersel?’
‘Naw, a wee change.’
‘Aye but it’s the drivin.’
‘Ah can mibbe work a bit later a few nights and that’ll speed it up.’
‘Ah’m sure that Barbara wumman’d gie ye yer tea.’
‘Fish supper’ll dae me.’
‘Mibbe even gie ye mair than yer tea if you play yer cards right.’
‘She’s no ma type.’
‘She’s female, is she no? And yous two could dae a bit of meditatin thegether.’
‘That’ll be right.’
It had crossed ma mind at the start that Barbara might of had a wee fancy for me. Efter all, it was a bit funny gettin a painter tae come aw the way fae Glesga tae Embra. But there was nae sign of any funny stuff, no even when ah turnt up on ma ain. She made me a cuppa tea when ah arrived and then left me to it. She always offered tae gie me lunch but ah like tae nip oot for a roll or a poke a chips or that when ah’m workin – just get oot the hoose fur a bit a fresh air. Hate bein stuck inside aw day. She spent nearly all day in her wee room at her computer or whatever she was daein. Sometimes ah’d hear her on the phone or she’d stick her heid round the door tae tell me she was gaun oot. Ah kind of got used tae havin her round in the background, there but no there.
Like ah said, a lot of the work was quite footery, specially the cornice that she wanted done in different colours. Ah usually listen tae music when ah’m workin but ah didnae like tae have it on too much in case ah was disturbin her at her work so ah spent maisty the time quiet, just paintin. It was dead peaceful in the hoose and thon big statue of the Buddha; well, it was like she said, it had a calming presence. When she came in the room ah near fell aff the ladder, ah’d forgotten there was embdy else there.
‘Christ, ah goat a fright – ah was in another world there.’
‘Sorry – want a cup of tea? It’s about half three – I’m ready for a break.’
‘Aye, thanks.’ Ah climbed doon aff the ladder, stretched ma airms above ma heid. ‘Does yer back in, that stuff. You get that involved in it you don’t realise you’ve got yersel intae really awkward positions and then when you come doon it’s agony. Thon Michelangelo fella done his back in paintin the Sistine Chapel.’
‘You should do yoga.’
‘Yoga? Ah don’t think ah’d look too hot in a leotard.’
‘Lots of men do it. They wear shorts. I’m serious. It’s really good for your back. The stretching strengthens it, and if you do a few positions when you come down from the ladder it’ll help avoid any pain. I could show you a few basic ones – look.’
She bent ower and put her haunds on the flair. Her arse was stickin up in the air; just as well Boabby wasnae there.
‘Ah can just imagine me and the boys daein a yoga routine afore we started
