Unexpected guest had me in a lather

THE Ephraim Hardcastle story about Philip Larkin and Kingsley Amis building a wall of pillows and bolsters when they had to share a double bed made me laugh.

It reminded me of a night in Manchester in the early 1960s. I was on a company training course and staying at a guest house near by. I was about to go to bed one stormy night when there was a knock at the bedroom door.

It was the landlady, who asked if I would share my room with one of her regular commercial travellers who had been unable to find any local accommodation. Being young, and sympathetic to his plight, I agreed.

The landlady brought in an enormous bolster which she fitted down the middle of the double bed.

He proved a decent type and, apart from his loud snoring, the night was uneventful. Over breakfast, he told me that he was a rep for Unilever. He went to his car and gave me four giant packets of OMO washing powder in appreciation.

It was a devil of a job to carry them to the train for the journey back to Kent, but when I got home my mother was pleased to receive them. I said they were on special offer and didn’t tell her about my bedfellow.

Mike Main, South Hykeham, Lincs.