The Fox, The Box and Lots and Lots More Sox.

So, Dad, What can I throw out?

6th October 2013

A busy weekend as usual.  I went to see Imelda on Saturday.  I had to take some milk around again and I had a few bits to return to his house which I had sorted.  I also wanted to see what he would do if I actually suggested sorting out some more stuff.

It was about 11am when I went round.  Imelda had cornered me in the front room.  That is another unfortunate effect of his hoarding is that if you go into a room, and are followed in, there is no escape unless the person who follows you in leaves first.  Imelda had cornered me in a room and I was backed into a corner.  As he is as deaf as a post he tends to have not much idea of personal space.  If he cannot hear you he will stick his ear almost in your face.  it is very uncomfortable.  I was bending backwards until my back was almost in two.  Then he shouted,

'Good heavens above - what is that beastie there?'  Thinking he meant a spider or something which had come down the window I looked where he was indicating.  Then bold as you like a huge old fox trotted up the front path and past the window into the back garden. It was the middle of the morning and the fox was acting like he owned the place.  It gave me a welcome excuse to get out and get my camera.  I couldn't find the fox though.

I decided that I would take matters in hand and see how Imelda reacted if I suggested a tidy up.  he had suggested, in front of the cameras, that he would be grateful if I could help him 'sort out some of the paperwork'.  I went upstairs and grabbed one of the many boxes full of unsorted stuff.  Inside the box was, in my opinion, pure junk.

In the box were items as follows:-

1) a smaller box, inside was a smashed plastic box.  I asked Imelda what it was.

'Oh that's an old meter box from the Church, some vandals broke in and smashed it so we had to replace it'.

'OK, so we can throw it out!'

'Well doubtless it can go out sometime, Ijust want to have a look through it first'.

'Right dad, here it is, it is smashed, no use to anyone and taking up space, so it can go out. Yes?'

'well yes when I have had a look at it.'

'Here it is dad (handed him the box) 'Now you have seen it can it go out'

'Well yes, doubtless it can go out when I have checked it.'

'Dad, what is to check? you have just seen it. It is broken and it cannot be used. Why would you want to keep it?'

'It may be useful for parts.'

I gave up on that item at that point.  I seem to remember the Church was broken in to about 8 years ago, possibly before that.

2) A greasy old paintbrush. The brush had obviously been used, then cleaned in some form of greasy stuff but over the years the dust had stuck to it.  Obviously here was an item which could go out.  I asked Imelda.

'Yuck dad a greasy old paintbrush.  I'll put that in the bin bag.'

Imelda took it from me and put it on top of another box.

'It can be cleaned!'

3) An empty used bank coin bag.  I put this in the bin bag.

'What's that?' said Imelda -'I can use that!'

4) St Marks Christingle Service December 21st 2002.  5 page order of service booklet.

Imelda took it from me and placed it on the bed.

'Dad, we aren't getting anywhere here are we?'

'Yes, well I appreciate your help but I need to sort through these'.

'But that is what we are doing!'

'Yes, I appreciate your help and if you can certainly throw some stuff out once I have sorted through it'.

So it appears he believes he is doing me a favour by letting me throw out stuff which he has already sorted.

Gosh how incredibly thoughtful he is!

5) A scrunched up old tissue.

'Yes that can go'.   Imelda is incredibly pleased with himself for deciding to throw out an old used tissue.  He keeps hold of it and puts it on the bed besides him, not in the bin bag which I am holding.

6) An old tie of my brother's from back when he was little (1970's) and used to wear ties to parties.  The tie was faded, extremely out of shape, dusty, musty and the stitching was coming undone.  I put it in the bag.

'What's that?'

'Chris's old tie - it's BOGGING dad'.

'well someone may find a use for it'.

7) An old AA size battery.  I put it in the bin and told him I could recycle it.

'How do you know it is dead?'

'I don't but it has been here probably 15 year,s so it is very likely'.

'Exactly' he says.  I keep the battery in my pocket.

'You want to keep that do you?' he says, after a few moments thought.

No, I have to say, I don't want to keep it nor do I want him to act like he his given me a gift.

8) Also on the side was a huge bag of old odd socks which did not appear to have partners - could these go out?
No!

This is the point where I give up.  Mental note to self to come back while he is at Church and just take boxes.  It is impossible to try to sort while he is there.

A view of Roath Park Lake on an early October morning on the day of the Cardiff half marathon.

I could not go round and carry out my plan on Sunday as it was the Cardiff half marathon and I was working as a volunteer at the first aid station.  We were at the 11 mile point, a lovely spot right next to the lovely Roath Park Lake.  For the first hour is was quite quiet.  The first runners went through all athletic looking, serious and focused.  Others followed, all very fit and healthy looking.  I started to think perhaps it would be a quiet day.  Then we had a runner tell us someone had passed out a few metres back and within about five minutes we had a bit of a busy spot.  I think about seven hit the deck at the same time and had to be scraped up.  They were all taken off to be checked over.  Poor souls had no idea where they were and had come over all strange.  If I had attempted to run 13 miles I think I would have come over all strange after about 20 metres.  This is the reason I did not apply to run it.  Congratulations to everyone who turned up to run.  It doesn't matter how far you got or what your time was, you all did fantastically well and should be very proud of yourselves.  You all ran at least thirteen miles further than I would or could have done.

Finally we finished mid afternoon and I had to go to my other job.  Quiet night on the 'phones tonight which was nice and a change from the busy spell we have had recently.

I slept well that night!