Tuesday, July 19, 2011

The Gas Man cometh

Sheila “Can you smell gas?”

Pat “I’m not sure. Can you smell gas?”

Sheila “I think so. Can’t you?”

Pat “Well I did think it was a bit frowsty in here when I came in this morning so I opened all the windows.”

Sheila “Well I think that proves it.”

We rang the emergency number cursing the fact that our recently acquired phone has developed a rushing sound and so far unplugging and plugging hasn’t really helped. Heaven forbid that it should muck up the computer.

I got through and oh joy a person from a foreign land answered. When I told him the problem he was intent on reading out precautionary measures – as a litany which was barely audible.

The gist was: turn off…naked flame…open windows… electricity…with you under an hour.

MTL was out.

I knew the gas thingy was in the garage, there was quite a new meter and an ancient lever which neither Sheila nor I could shift. MTL told me later this was a cock so either way would have worked. On the gas fire is a little cock. In the last month both the fire and the Aga have had their annual service and when the gas man cameth he found the little cock was the problem – a design fault and required a sealing paste which he applied. Job done.

MTL was mightily relieved that we hadn’t switched the gas off as re- lighting the Aga is not his favourite job. Such a nuisance – Sheila couldn’t vacuum, I couldn’t iron, the fridges and freezer stopped. The tooth brushes couldn’t recharge and the computer was off. So I’m terribly behind and have spent all day trying to catch up. One thing I am determined about is that that fire will be replaced before the winter. Wish me luck!

I have just been watching Mr Murdoch and son facing the special committee.

James could talk for Britain and bores people into submission. I felt a wave of compassion for Rupert – so old and frail and a bit deaf. It seemed to take a while for things to sink in. He did seem genuinely contrite and said this was the most humble day of his life. At one time he was so impassioned he was beating the table and causing bangs on the sound system. His wife sitting behind him tried to nudge him to stop. Will something good come out of this sorry mess? I do hope so.

45 comments:

Daphne Wayne-Bough said...

Don't be fooled by the doddery old man act. Murdoch senior is the hardest, most ruthless man in the media. He is lying through his teeth - although as he's not saying much, he's not lying as much as his son. The good thing that's already come out of this is that British politicians of both sides seem to have found their cojones and I don't think he'll be welcome at the back door of No.10 any more whoever's in residence. He married Wendy Deng to get his hands on the rights to Chinese TV.

Jimmy said...

Ah, Pat. Playing with small cocks during the day is bound to lead to other vices. Beware the Gasman and his parlour games is my advice.

May I suggest that you stick to more of your delightful seafaring tales to whet our appetites rather than such raunchy details while one is just sitting down to tea.

Mary Witzl said...

I'm with Daphne: I say he's a sly old fellow and knows how to play an audience. That table banging was pretty weird, too. His wife definitely did her job today: she deflected the shaving cream pie AND tried to control his table pounding.

What a good thing your sense of smell is intact, and that you managed to sit out that infuriatingly obvious check list!

Eryl said...

Thank goodness you gave up smoking a long time ago!

I do feel sorry for Murdoch, his entire being seems to be dominated by avarice. I'm glad, though, that he's been rumbled, and hope it enables him to reflect and escape the demon.

As far as I can see good things always come out of sorry messes, eventually.

Good luck with the fire replacement. I've been wanting to replace mine for fifteen years, but I don't have your determination.

mapstew said...

Trust ye Jimmy! :¬)

Pat said...

Daphne: you sound just like MTL:)

Jimmy: sorry to embarrass you. I was only quoting MTL.

Mary: I was moved - maybe it was the caring wife that did it. But his son was a slippery customer. He could bore for Britain.
My sense of smell comes and goes. Sheila was the hero of the hour.

Eryl: even my determination wilts at times in the face of total lack of enthusiasm. And there's the sofa I want to replace also.
MTL's mantra - 'We'll do all these things - just not right now'.
And as everything is more of an effort now its tempting to do nothing. It's a bugger!

Four D: think of Miss Faversham in Dickens - everything about her and her room was frowsty. I'll bet you are after a night on the tiles.

Mapstew: don't encourage him.

kenju said...

Pat, you have some interesting commentors!!

Hope you get the gas sorted out.

Pearl said...

Once they get old enough everyone feels sorry for the elderly. I once knew a woman who looked like Mrs. Claus yet had been the very worst kind of person for the majority of her life...

And you DO have some lovely commenters!

Pearl

Pat said...

Judy: crisis averted. Yes my commenters are interesting and as Pearl says lovely. And faithful.

Pearl: there aren't many sweet old ladies left. I'm glad you like my commenters. Recently I had two who were followers for two whole days and then thought better of it but I'm getting over it:)

lom said...

Can't take to Rupert at all, there's something about him that never seems to ring right with me.

Good luck with the fire.

Pat said...

LOM: I actually preferred him to his son - which isn't saying a great deal.
I'm waiting for a suitable moment to broach the fire:)

Ms Scarlet said...

Mentions of cocks, gas and Murdoch's all in one post!
I think Daphne is correct when she says that the shaving cream incident will gain Murdoch sympathy.
Sx

Pat said...

Scarlet; that and his apparent frailty and having the good sense to choose a gutsy wife.
It would be great if he devoted what's left of his life to making reparation and generally doing good. It's never too late.

neena maiya (guyana gyal) said...

Whew whew whewwww. I'm glad you got away safely with the gas problem solved.

If only the media could stop spewing gas all over the place [can you tell I'm cynical about media people?]

I haven't seen Murdoch in action, I missed that one on BBC if they showed it, darn.

I think I'm with Daphne on this one.

Word verification: cooki

Unknown said...

And you think MY jokes/posts are rude!

Pat said...

GG: the media have a lot to answer for. Daphne very often is right. I think you have a new post - I must pop over.

John.G:now don't start - I feel bad enough as it is!

Jimmy said...

In my opinion, a lot of sheep-like people are jumping on the bandwagon over RM, maybe I'm the exception when it comes to seeing an oul fella assaulted.

I'm sure that somewhere in the future RM's sons will dispense their own justice, just as my sons would do for me (should I reach such an age).

Bullying is for the weak of heart.

Pat said...

Jimmy: if you carry on as you are doing - plenty of fresh air and exercise, fresh fruit and vegetables, minimising the spirits, sailing your boat and writing away any angst you will certainly reach such an age. Sorry I won't be around to see you;)

Jimmy said...

Hen, you galvanise my spirit and put to shame so many others with your good nature and pure dead brilliant ability to make me smile.

In fact, out of respect for you personally hen I dropped the second half of my pseudonym. Cannae be using bad language in front of a true English lady now, can I?.

Pat said...

Jimmy: don't go changing too much or I shall be persona non grata.
Sleep tight.

angryparsnip said...

Pa,t you are such a lovely person but
I wouldn't shed too many tears for RM.
The writer who worked on a book about RM said all the time he spent with him he was always taking calls from the paper and he knew what is going on.
As for his wife she got the older wife kicked out and married him a year after meeting him.
She knew exactly what she was doing and is rather ruthless.
She married the man who sponsored her in America after he divorced his wife for her. Then she turned right around and divorced him.
Trading up big time.
So I think she is protecting her interests in the company as much as him.
Much of the blame lays with the way he runs his company.

cheers, parsnip

Pat said...

Parsnip: sadly I suspect you are right. My reaction was Pavlovian - more emotion than logic. But people can change and I'm ever hopeful.

Daphne Wayne-Bough said...

Although Parsnip is spot on, I applaud your faith in human nature - and maybe it works: you've even got Jimmy being nice to the English! ;-D

Pat said...

Daphne: I think my Scottish and Irish blood helps:)

The Unbearable Banishment said...

Compassion? I don't feel it. And unlike my good friend Jimmy, I don't see an oul fella being assaulted. I see a man stewing in the boiling juices of his own design. The hunter is now the hunted. Let's remember that he built an empire on the misery of others.

Anonymous said...

I'm glad it worked out OK. Gas is great for everything, but when there's a leak, watch out. Better safe than sorry.

Cheers.

Pat said...

UB: well that is clear enough.
"I see a man stewing in the boiling juices of his own design. The hunter is now the hunted. Let's remember that he built an empire on the misery of others."
Content aside I admire the phraseology.

Pat said...

Randall: that's what I thought but it was a comfort to have Sheila behind me.

OldLady Of The Hills said...

So glad your Gas problem got solved...! That can be rather scary.

As to Rupert....I saw quite a bit of that in a re-play. He took NO responsability whatsoever. I found that rather shocking. Yes, he apolgized, BUT, when asked did he feel responsible for any of this he said a loud resounding "NO!"
Well, he is The Boss and The Buck Stops There, in my view. Thry all seem like 'bottom feeders'....I have no respect for him or his Editorial Policy;s.

Pat said...

Naomi: it is always interesting to get your take on things and what you say is absolutely true. I wondered when he intimated that others had let him down if he included his son James. And of course the blessed Rebekha. I know there is a 'k' but not sure where it goes.

Gadjo Dilo said...

Yes, like Daphne says, Pat, don't feel ANY waves of compassion for Rupert. I only wish that Kelvin MacKenzie, Piers Morgan et al were in the dock with him.

On a lighter note, we're now thinking of going to the Pelion peninsular in Greece - have you ever been htere?

Pat said...

Gadjo: I don't think so but I'll have another prowl in the attic. That's the morning gone then:)

Ms Scarlet said...

Sorry Pat, but off-topic: Mr Jimmy has me down as MISS GINGER on his blogrol... and I have nowhere to complain about this.
So I thought I'd stamp my feet a bit here.
Sx

Pat said...

Scarlet: that's outrageous. I'd better check what he has me down as. I'm sure he'll rectify it ASAP being the fine Scottish gentleman he is.

Keith said...

When I was a wee lad, living on the farm out in the wilds of Hampshire we only had town gas for lighting and heating (none of that new fangled lectric stuff!)

One day Gran smelled gas so she phoned the Gas Board and they told her to turn off the gas at the main and someone would come along soon and have a look; air raids permitting. So Grandad went into the pantry, but couldn't find the lever so he struck a match to see better. . . . . .no, the house didn't blow up, but there was a small flashback and Grandad lost his mustache, eyebrows and some of his hair! Silly old git!

Pat said...

Keith: terrifying! i thought it was only we gels who did things like that.

Pat said...

Keith: terrifying! i thought it was only we gels who did things like that.

GYPSYWOMAN said...

oh, dear! what an intriguing story in so many ways - but i'm so happy to hear nothing worse in the end - well, than it was, anyway - odd your story though of such problems as the same ones have been rampant here for several weeks and today is my first day back online and playing catch up in the midst of such modern tech failures - hope the remainder of your week/end remain free of such distractions -

Gadjo Dilo said...

Pat, don't bother wasting your morning in the attic: if you can't remember it then either it wasn't that memorable or you were never there! :-)

Pat said...

Gypsywoman: technology is a wonderful thing but when it goes wrong one feels so helpless and frustrated. And anything new seems to have teething problems. Still today the sun is shining so enough of problems:)

Gadjo: thanks for that. It has a sound of the Pelepponese, In which case we have toured only. But really I've never found anywhere in Greece that I didn't like.

Jimmy said...

My apologies to the Ginger wan. Title now corrected.

Ms Scarlet said...

Ha! Yes... from Miss Ginger to Ms Ginger... but bless Mr Jimmy for adding a link to my Calligraphy blog!
Sx

Pat said...

Jimmy: good boy:)

Granny Annie said...

It is all spilling over here now. Murdoch's publications in the U.S. are under close scrutiny at this time. I too often wonder why elderly people get a free pass on suspicion of crime. We have 70+ year old bank robbers, murderers, muggers, embezzlers, etc.

Pat said...

Jimmy: correction - NOT good boy!

Granny Annie: somehow bad behaviour in the old seems doubly shocking.

Close scrutiny re the Murdoch empire has to be a good thing. Late in the day though it is.