House Guests Come To Stay

I got up at 6am.

I stood outside and smoked a cigarette first up, watching the light change on the gum tree above me.

There was a bottle of wine and a box of chocolates on my desk when I got to work. I was so taken aback that I am not sure now that I thanked them adequately, or even if I thanked them at all.

I stayed until 6pm. I had to suggest that I left. “I have to go to the airport.”

“Okay, yes, sure,” replied Kirin off hand. She has this habit of looking up from whatever she’s doing, acting like she doesn’t know what you are talking about, and then agreeing dismissively. 

Kirin and Kerin stayed later than that. Oh yeah Kirin it is definitely only a two person department. Even when we are all doing ridicules hours Kirin doggedly clings to the two person operation. I don’t really get it. 

Mark always insists that I pick them up from the airport. Apparently, he would never contemplate catching a taxi. His reasoning is that they always come and pick us up at the airport when we visit them. Well, yeah, okay, but the trip from their place to the airport is Lismore to the Gold Coast, many country miles, where there is no real alternative, not city traffic in Melbourne. And the last time we visited, just to prove a point, I hired a car and drove ourselves. Hiring a car for the weekend, is, actually, the equivalent of taxi’s to and from Melbourne airport but, you know, that was a bit like a hairnet, over their heads.

While the shops over Xmas have seemed quiet, the airport was hopping. There was a queue of cars all trying to get into “1” minute pick up. We went around once and then we pulled into one of the quite a few car parks and waited. We waited for fifteen minutes, or so, without being moved on, which is kind of unusual for the airport, there is always a guy who moves you on.

Then Mark and Luke appeared after about twenty minutes. It is always nice to see them. 

It was smooth sailing home. Turn off at the cemetery. Drive around by the Uni.

An old man tries to move into the right hand turn lane when I was already in that lane corner of Elgin and Nicholson Streets. I didn’t let him in and we nearly sideswipe each other. I remember for a millisecond, I got The Red Mist and I really wanted to ram his car, to show him. I’m sure my knuckles went white on the steering wheel, and I didn’t back down, and he did. Pig headed cunt. I mustn’t do that again. That was stupid. A dented car is not worth it, despite what your ego wants to do. 

So, house guests? For a week, till the 30th. Grimace. As much as I love them, as much as I love anyone, 7 days is 7 days to have to put up with people. It is a long time to have one’s routine disturbed. David and I joke that people can only come and stay for 2 days, 2 days is the maximum for anyone coming to stay. 

“I get a bit screamy and want to yell get out, get out, after the 2nd day,” says David.