or George?

Cindy is certain their car-boot bargain is the real thing but George is dubious

Cindy pointed at the television screen and said: “George, will you look at that! It’s just like that old vase you bought at the car boot!” Seated on the sofa, George nodded agreement: “A bit, yes.”

“It’s exactly like it and it’s at the end of the Roadshow – they keep the valuable stuff until last.”

“If you stop talking, we might find out.”

The vase was worth a bit – about ten pounds, the expert guessed, as it was a good quality reproduction. Had it been an original, the owner would have been advised to insure it for £6,000.

“Six thousand, George! We could have a really swanky holiday with that.”

“Not on ten pounds, we couldn’t. And my vase has a chip so it’s worth even less.”

“The chip makes it more likely that it’s old,” Cindy said optimistically.

“Not really, love. You said it was exactly like the one on the telly so mine is probably repro as well.”

When the programme was over, Cindy made them both a mug of tea and some sandwiches. Thinking it over, she decided that the reason George hadn’t got excited about owning a valuable antique was because he had thrown the vase away. He was always throwing things away when she wasn’t looking.

She tackled him about it later.

“Of course I haven’t got rid of it,” George protested. “You never let me throw anything away so we end up hoarding all sorts of junk in case it might come in useful.”

“Well, it might, some day.” “Even if it did, we’d never find it. There’s not enough room in that garage for a needle it’s so full.”

“All right, I admit it’s a bit untidy. I’ll help you clear it out tomorrow and we can look for that vase at the same time.”

The next morning, after fortifying themselves with scrambled eggs on toast and large mugs of tea, George opened the garage door: “After you, love.”

It took them twenty minutes to

‘We end up hoarding all sorts of junk in case it might come in useful’