Learning to Live in England, Part 09

Monday, 14 June

James took me shopping this morning. Specifically, he took me to the same furniture store where yesterday we saw the loveseat we wanted, with the two recliners. We hadn't had time to order it yesterday, as our restaurant booking had imposed a time constraint.

James actually took me to two shops. It's always well to shop at at least two, according to his philosophy, which is no doubt correct, because then you can threaten to walk out on one, in the course of your bargaining. 

He did the bargaining, and got the price down some, but the sales clerk, a girl with cherry red hair named Phillippa, was also being hard-nosed about it, so I think James was disappointed he couldn't get the price down further.

It certainly raised some eyebrows, having this handsome young dude doing my bargaining for me. Finally, one shop clerk came right out and asked, instead of the ruder question, whether we were related!

The sofa won't be delivered before we leave, but James says he will accept it for us. We'll leave a set of keys with his parents.

On the way we had a discussion about marriage; I don't remember how it came up, but anyway, he told me that in England these days, people don't much bother with marriage. When I asked why not, he said it was because it didn't mean anything to people, so they didn't see the point. What they did see was the risk, as divorce is expensive. (So is splitting up from a live-in partner, however!) He said that if people do marry, they certainly don't do it before the age of thirty. 'If I were to marry before thirty,' he said, 'everyone would think me completely daft!'

Isn't that sad? Marriage, not meaning anything. No clue that marriage is for helping each other and your children toward theosis (deification). Even the social benefits of marriage aren't apparent to this generation. I say it's my generation's fault; we're the ones who pioneered 'free-love' - openly, at least, as something socially acceptable.

He also had two bits of news. One was that he and Kim, who both work for the same company, both have a chance to trade their current company cars for new ones, Volkswagen Sciroccos, a £25,000 car they both admire. The other news is that Kim's mother had a burglary at her house last night. Kim's little brother and sister recognized the offender and her mum has reported him.

So the sofa is ordered and just as we got back home to where Demetrios was awaiting delivery of the new bed(s), it/they arrived. It's a single bed with a trundle bed below, that unfolds to the same height as the top bed, making either one large or two single beds. We're going to use them when Nick and Sharyn come, and give them the master bedroom. (That's firm, Nick!)

So James helped us get all that set up before he went to pick up Kim and go have a look at two brand new Sciroccos!