The brothers have spent the last two or three days working very hard on their room. It looks masses better for the paint-job - it's at the top front of one of those huge (well, huge for our neck of the woods) Victorian houses so has a bay window and another window which they've cleaned, and they've painted the door too.
I have negotiated the arrival of two single beds, and removal of the double, with Mr Khan, which I hope will happen this weekend.
In the meantime, the brothers want to get cracking on jobs that need doing around our house, 'because once we start work proper we won't have time.' I really admire their confidence. But perhaps not enough to let them start anything here, and I still have some reservations about then feeling beholden to them because of favours they've done us. Tell me I'm screwed up.
I had a long conversation with Mr Khan today, when I took round some sandwiches for them. He has a job with a friend - 'twenty days work for two men, £5000' - which sounds as though it involves building an extension on someone's house. He's suggested meeting on Sunday but I'm going to be at my brother's which will leave them at OH's mercy as translator. God help them all.
I told Mr Khan I am going to make them business cards but he told me not to bother. 'Just put name, put number on paper in newsagent shop. Pakistanis like me not want pay expensive people.' I guess that's saved me a tenner and an hour's work. For now.
He also said that he wants DBrother to collect the rent when he's away: 'I make him boss of house', that he will pay them back any sundry expenses they incur in the course of their decoration and will not let them work for nothing. He explained that his father taught him several things, and started to list them. The first was to 'never tell lies', the second was to 'not keep money if find in street but give to charity' and another was 'to do good and God will be good to you.' I am starting to really quite like this guy. Total respect for his moral integrity. Or some of it, at least. As he then asked them not to tell the council where they're living.
He has also repeated incessantly that he thinks that are good men, and that he can see I am a good woman. Today he insisted that I repeat to them that he is helping them because he can see I am a good woman, he can hear it in my voice and see it in my face and he respects and trusts me. He would like me to meet his wife and thinks we'll get on. She is a good woman. I said I'm sure she must be because he is so good. Bloody hell, we're fast establishing something of a mutual admiration society! I really hope he isn't taking the piss.
Him saying all this is helpful. Not because I think he is right, but because let's face it, I have been thrown into a brand new life over the last five days. I feel as though I've fallen down a rabbit hole. It is completely surreal. And despite OH's protestations that this move wasn't going to impact on me, and despite my protestations that I wouldn't do anything anyway, these men are now completely and utterly dependent on me for their next moves. I found their room. I am negotiating with Mr Khan. I have organised their interviews for National Insurance numbers and found out what they need to open a bank account and got them booked onto free English language classes. I am making their coffee to their liking and their toasted sandwiches at lunchtime. And washing their clothes. And I am sitting in my dining room this evening when I'd rather be snuggled up on my own sofa watching something crappy on the telly.
I guess I would like to repeat, to give it emphasis, that I feel as though I have fallen down a rabbit hole. More reflections to follow on what, exactly, that means, as I'm sure I don't rightly know just yet.
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