Top priority

Cathy' s builder was always too busy to finish her kitchen. But what was he really up to?

Cathy looked at the clock for the tenth time. Her builder wasn' t coming, was he? Once more she punched out the numbers of his mobile and wandered into the mess that had once been her kitchen.

Through the window, she could see the half-empty skip, concrete mixer and pile of rubble in her garden. It was like a bomb site!

Eric didn' t answer his mobile. Of course he didn' t. After all, he recognised her number whenever it came up, didn' t he?

She marched round to her neighbour' s house.

Cathy?' cried Sandra. Why aren' t you at work?'

Once more I' m waiting for Eric the Unready to come round and finish off my kitchen!' she said. And once more, he hasn' t turned up when he promised.'

Oh no,' said Sandra. Would you like a cuppa?'

That would be lovely, thanks. And could I please use your phone?'

Of course.'

Eric answered the phone after the first ring. Eric Martin, builder. How can I help?' he said, cheerfully.

You can come round here!' Cathy? Where are you?' Never mind that where are you? You' re supposed to be finishing off my kitchen. You said it was your top priority.'

It is!'

So¼'

So this poor old lady rang me. Her roof s leaking and all her things are getting ruined. She was in tears, poor love, I had to go round and sort her out.'

Cathy sighed. Last Wednesday it had been a woman with a young baby and a collapsed ceiling. The week before that, he hadn' t come because a conservatory had fallen over. She didn' t believe a word of it.

You' ve got another job, haven' t you?' she said. What are you doing, building a tower block?'

No!' he cried. Tell you what, I' ll leave my men here and come round to you.'

How long will you be? I could always go back to work for a while¼'

No, don' t do that. I' ll be there at 12 o' clock. No later, I swear.'

He arrived at 1.30 and

Cathy was so grateful to see him, she almost hugged him.

Thirsty work, this building,' he said, looking around her kitchen.

Would you like a cuppa?' Cathy asked him.

Love one! But I can' t stay long, I' m starving. Didn' t have time to have any lunch as I was rushing so much to get here.'

Cathy' s heart sank.

No! He couldn' t go! He' d only just got here.

I' ll make you a sandwich, if you like?' she suggested, eagerly.

Would you? Brilliant! I' ll have bacon, please.'

But my hob doesn' t work because you' re moving it, remember?'

I' ll wire it up temporarily,' he said.

Cathy sighed. If she' d known he could do that, she' d have been able to

Once more

IÕ m waiting for Eric the Unready to come round and finish off my kitchen!Õ

use it all week. He looked around and measured and tutted while she cooked his bacon.

How long before you' re finished?'

Cathy asked him.

This week should do it,' he said.

So you' ll come tomorrow and Friday?'

Course I will, love. I told you, you' re my top priority.'

Cathy could have wept with joy as she gave him his bacon sandwiches and went to fetch her washing in.

When she came back, she was pleased to see he was at work, collecting up tools from the garden. But instead of bringing them in, he was putting them in his van.

And then, quick as lightning, he jumped inside and drove off.

Cathy ran down the drive yelling after him, but he didn' t hear her. Or at least he pretended not to.

What' s the matter?' asked Sandra, coming out.

I' ll swing for that man!' muttered Cathy.

She rang work and begged for more time off. Her boss wasn' t pleased and neither was Cathy.

But there was no way she' d let Eric in her house without being there too. He was so unreliable, he' d probably put the hob where the sink should be.

Why on earth had she picked Eric? A two-week job had taken two months, and her kitchen had been out of action for all of that time.

The next morning, she waited and waited. Eric finally turned up at 11. I thought you weren' t coming!' Cathy cried as he walked in.

What? Me? When it' s time for elevenses and you' ve got choccie biccies,' he grinned.

Cathy' s heart rejoiced as she heard the banging of his hammer.

But he stopped 10 minutes later, begging for coffee and complaining that his throat was clogged with dust. He downed two cups and demolished her biscuits.

Then he said: I' m just off to get more bricks.'

Bricks?'

Cathy was horrified as he pointed to the huge hole in her wall.

When I put the pipe through, more bricks came out than I intended,' he said. Won' t be long!'

But he was. He didn' t come back until four.

Where have you been?' Cathy demanded.

I called home for a quick lunch and my gran was feeling poorly, so I took her to the doctors.'

You' re like a knight in shining armour for old ladies in distress, aren' t you?' said Cathy, bitterly.

Thanks,' he grinned.

Don' t worry, I' ll still have you finished tomorrow.' Really?' cried Cathy.

She forgave him his gran. She forgave him everything, she was so grateful.

He stayed until seven, fortified by another round of bacon sandwiches.

You will come back tomorrow, won' t you?' Cathy asked desperately as he left. I' ll have to take the day off work again, so you will come?'

I said so, didn' t I?' he smiled.

He' d said so, before many times.

There won' t be any little old ladies with flooded kitchens or falling-down walls?'

I certainly hope not!' he said. Don' t look worried, I told you, you' re my top priority.'

Cathy couldn' t believe it when he turned up at nine the next morning. She almost kissed him. And he kept on working hard all day, whistling off-key.

By five, he had actually finished, and as Cathy stared around her new kitchen, there were tears of relief in her eyes.

A good scrub and wipe down will get rid of all the dirt,' he said, anxiously.

Cathy nodded. It would take her all week. But at least he was finished.

I' m going to miss your tuneless whistling,' she said, as he left.

Well, any time you want more building work doing¼'

I'l l know not to call you! Cathy thought.

But Cathy heard his whistling sooner than she thought.

The following Wednesday morning, she was sitting at her desk, working away when she heard it. She looked up and, sure enough, there he was!

She darted behind a filing cupboard and watched him. Only when he' d signed the form, did she rush forward. Eric!' she cried.

He jumped and went pale. It all makes sense now,' she said. You may have had other jobs too, but last Wednesday morning when I took time off work for you and you didn' t turn up, and the week before that, this is where you were!'

No, no¼ he began.

Yes you were!' she cried. The records show it you were signing on for Jobseeker' s Allowance, and all the time you had a job. Dear me, I' ll have to report this to my boss. And don' t worry, Eric¼'

What?'

She smiled at him. `As a special favour to you, I promise I' ll make this my top priority!'

He downed two cups of tea and demolished her biscuits. T hen he said: ÔIÕ m just off to get more bricksÕ