Waiting For The Washing Repair Man

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

The most first world of problems has affected my day today. For you find me patiently waiting for the Washing Machine Repair guy.

He has been here before. To make the background clear the wife was complaining the smell after each wash but then we noticed what appeared to be smoke coming out of the machine. That was clearly that. The washing machine was on shutdown (especially as we currently live in an apartment with all the connotations that now applies post Grenfell).

Anyway the man came and it turned out that there was a problem with the pump. It apparently was, in the guy's words "red hot" after just a few minutes, something that just shouldn't happen. So he replaced the part, we shook hands and that was it.

Immediately wife started to do some laundry. Women, let's face it being for more concerned that clothes are cleaned as quickly as possible than men are. Men really only bring themselves to wash clothes unprompted when there's a few [insert type of clothes] left. After the third wash there was a smell that was best described by daughter as "burnt popcorn". So the guy was called again.

Which is why I'm here alone in a state of limbo. Cannot go out and explore some new part of South Wales, or, as I'd intended to do go out and do some shopping. Can't even make a phone call in case washing machine guy is trying to get through.

No I have to wait.

The sound of silence is weird. Have not turned the television or radio on. Do not want to miss him. All I can hear currently is the sound of the occasional aeroplane. When you are conscious of the silence, well that is a bit off putting.

Outside it's cloudy and grey. A contrast from the brightness of yesterday.

I started writing this (coming and going from time to time) at 9:30am. Now as I'm writing this paragraph it's just gone 12:30! I've had my lunch. The question now is, will he come before 2:20 this afternoon. Otherwise I'm off to pick up daughter from school.

Leaving aside the anger if he doesn't turn up after today a time that either me/wife will be available will not be easy to arrange for a while. At the moment the wife will be washing some of her clothes at her brother in law's house in nearby Penarth. It is though of course not ideal.

I'm hearing voices outside. I know it's not the Repair Guy. Must admit I'm curious to know what's being said but they are fleeting murmurs to my ears.

It's 2:05pm now and I hear a buzzing. Is the guy here at last?....No. Now my mind is playing mind games.

It's 2:14pm I get a call from the wife. The guy is going to come later on. In other words AFTER I've picked daughter up. In other words....I'VE WASTED A DAY!!!!

And that is of course assuming he''ll be coming at all.

Until the next time.