Never Too Late To Change - 11. Making Progress

Eric woke the following morning and lay in bed, taking stock. Hmm … he still felt lousy, but he'd had a better night's sleep. And what's more, he knew that Andy would be calling round quite soon. He peered at the bedside clock to check the time. After nine o'clock was late for him not to be up and about, but that was a privilege of not being well. The young man was due in an hour or so. There was no rush. Eric wasn't even feeling that hungry after all the food Andy had provided the day before.

Andy had gone out the previous afternoon to get a spare front door key made, and a good thing too. Eric shook his head. He'd really scared himself the day before, when he thought he couldn't get down the stairs. Independence was important – he'd had always believed that. Knowing that someone cared enough to worry about him, that was special. Yes, Andy was doing it as part of his job, but he was sure there was more to it than that. Eric's thoughts returned to the previous day's kiss – Andy was a friend, and he was almost certain the friendship was returned. He didn't have much to go on in that regard though.

A deep breath of satisfaction turned into coughing and spluttering which forced him to sit up in bed. There'd been some talk the previous afternoon about him buying a new phone – one which had two handsets, so he could keep one by him, upstairs. That produced a frown. Did Andy think he was made of money? Eric stopped himself – that was unfair. Of course, Andy realised how tight his money situation was. The young man was only looking out for him, suggesting things that might help. He would've felt much better if a phone had been there for him the day before.

Maybe when the authorities had sorted out his pension payments properly, then he'd be able to afford one. He could see now why it would be so useful. Vital, even, if he was to continue living on his own. Eric dreaded the day when he would be obliged to give up his independence. Forced to live in a home with umpteen other people he neither knew nor cared about. Would he have to conceal the fact he was gay once again? He stopped himself before he wandered too far down that particular road.

Money was one of the things Andy wanted to talk to him about. That was part of his job. The application form for his claim had to be filled out. Only it wasn't a proper, paper form – it was one of those … online things. When he'd had to complete anything like that in the past, he'd never been able to understand half the words they used. Just as well Andy was doing it then.

Eric skirted round the idea of him and computers. Andy was right – learning to use a computer was important. He could see that was true, now he'd slept on it. It was just that he couldn't imagine himself, in the library, being able to find his way round the internet. He'd never been much good at learning things. Bookish things. All he could see were the obstacles in his way. Typical. He'd decide over the weekend whether he wanted to give it a go or not. Andy would be disappointed if he gave up without at least trying. In fact, he'd be disappointed. That thought quite surprised the old man.

He started coughing again, and there were no paper hankies in sight. Having clambered out of bed, he found them, and blew his nose noisily. Eric stood for a moment, debating with himself whether he should get dressed. Then his eye was caught by the books Andy had brought him from the library.

Eric smiled to himself. That settled it – he fancied giving one of them a try. What would a gay romance book be like? A buzz of anticipation started up inside him. He wanted to read it now, even though he still hadn't changed his glasses. When he went to the optician's in the city, he'd been told that his non-prescription reading glasses were no longer good enough. However, when he'd seen how much new frames alone cost, never mind the actual lenses, he'd left the shop, taking the prescription with him.

Eric got back into bed, settled himself down, and put on his old glasses. It took some faffing around until he found the least worst position in which to hold the book. Then he started to read, gradually getting lost in a new world.

Andy fumbled with the unfamiliar key. He managed to get it to turn in the lock after a short struggle, and opened Eric's front door to let himself in. At least the old man had remembered to lock it this time. They'd had the conversation about personal security the previous afternoon.

He stopped for a moment on the doorstep and called inside. “Hi, Eric. It's only me.”The living room was deserted. Andy had half expected Eric to be up and about by then, but it didn't look like it. He went to the bottom of the stairs and repeated the greeting. This time, he got a reply.

“Morning. I'll be down in a bit, Andy. I've been reading.”

His client was still in bed. Andy smiled to himself – he'd made sure that he took the library books upstairs before he left yesterday. The thought of Eric reading, reminded Andy that he'd not followed up on Eric's visit to the optician's. He should've asked the old man about that on the day, really. Andy growled in exasperation. He needed a list of reminders, questions, tasks … Brain like a sieve again. Otherwise, something important might end up being missed altogether. He remembered Adam's comment about being professional even when he wasn't being paid … Yeah – that was it in a nutshell.

He shouted back up the stairs. “You gonna be OK? Or do you need a hand with anything?” Andy heard a sneeze and a cough.

Then Eric found his voice. “I'll be fine, I think. Thanks. Breakfast would be nice, though …” This was followed by a rasping chuckle.

Andy rolled his eyes at the comment. “In bed?”

“No … Just ready when I get downstairs.” Another rasping chuckle.

Andy smiled – his client was obviously feeling better. “Breakfast will be coming right up, sir.”

“There – all completed.” Andy put his phone down, and smiled at Eric with the satisfaction of a job well done. “That's your application for pension credit done. It might be delayed a little by the Christmas holidays, but sometime in the New Year, you should have more money in your pocket.”

“How much, did you say?” Eric was keen to remind himself.

Andy consulted his notes. “Well, it'll top up your pension to the full state pension rate – so, twenty pounds or so a week?

Eric sighed with pleasure. “Blimey, I'll feel rich. That, and the winter fuel payment.”

The old man looked happy, but also a little puzzled. He looked at Andy's phone, then at his laptop and back again. “So, your phone is a computer as well?”

Andy nodded.

Eric continued with his questions. “So, why are you using your phone rather than the laptop? Don't know how you see anything on that screen.”

“At the moment, you don't have an internet connection here, so I have to use my phone. It accesses the internet in a different way from my laptop.”

Andy continued with a short explanation of the different routes, and how they varied according to the device that was being used. Andy watched the old man as he talked. He was impressed that Eric seemed to keep up, even asking a couple of questions about terms or concepts he didn't understand.

Eric sat back in his seat at the end of it, and rolled his eyes. “Do I really know what I'm letting myself in for? All this internet stuff and everything …”

Andy snorted. Then, he thought he'd do well to encourage him further. “I think you're doing pretty well, so far. You come to a decision yet about the library and computers?”

Eric hesitated. He'd told himself he had the weekend to make his mind up, but was that just an excuse to put it off? … Yes, it was. Just like him.

He decided to take the plunge instead. “Yeah … I think I'll give a try.”

“Great stuff!” Andy's face beamed at the news. He leapt up out of his seat. “Right. I think some lunch to celebrate, don't you? You didn't have much breakfast.”

The older man raised an eyebrow. “It didn't seem right to be stuffing myself when lunch was going to be round the corner. Can't remember the last time I was that late getting out of bed.”

“That's OK. What would you like? There's more of yesterday's soup, or ham sandwiches, or Welsh rarebit again.”

Eric's eyes widened at the choice, but he decided on ham sandwiches, with the chicken casserole Andy'd made the previous afternoon for his tea. Andy disappeared into the kitchen to get started on the food. A few minutes later, waiting for the kettle to boil, he reappeared in the doorway.

“Eric, I need to be elsewhere this afternoon. You'll be OK? I'll leave a portion of the casserole in the fridge for you to heat up.”

The old man nodded in answer to the question, and pointed to the book he'd just put down.

“I'm just getting going with this – I want to really get settled down with it. I don't feel like a walk this afternoon. Tomorrow, perhaps.”

The question of the optician's popped up again in Andy's head. “How're you finding the print? I never asked you what happened when you went to the optician's the other week …”

Andy could hear the kettle was finally about to boil, so he broke off to make the all-important pot of tea. He came back a couple of minutes later bearing two plates of sandwiches, followed quickly by two steaming mugs of tea.

Eric eyed up Andy's plate which held rather more than his did. “You'll be eating me out of house and home in no time, young man.”

Andy recognised this as his client's dry humour, and just raised an eyebrow in return. Instead, he steered the conversation back to where it had been. “Meanwhile, back at the optician's …”

Eric sighed. “I can manage to read, just about. They said I need prescription lenses now. The prices were awful. Suppose once I get my extra cash, I'd better go back there and do something about it.”

Andy agreed. “Yes, you should. Particularly if you're gonna be staring at a computer screen. They can be hard on the eyes. … Oh, and don't forget that the volunteers are there only on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.”

Eric stared glumly into his mug as he held it. “I can feel the butterflies in my stomach starting up already. Do I need to let them know I'm comng, d'you think?”

Andy shook his head. “Nah … Eric, there's really no need for you to be anxious, you know. I'm sure the buddies are well used to nervous first-timers. Everybody has to start somewhere.”

Eric grimaced in response. “Now I've made the decision, I want to be getting on with it – before I get cold feet, apart from anything else.”

Andy got up to return his mug and plate to the kitchen. “Well, here's something else for you to think about instead. I'm off to see my mate who teaches horticulture at the college. Hopefully, we'll start planning what he thinks his students will be able to do with your garden. It was going to be a surprise for tomorrow, but I think you could do with it now.”

Eric perked up immediately. “Blimey – that's good news. I know you mentioned it when we had our lunch with Adam, but, to be frank, I didn't think it'd go any further.”

Andy looked a little taken aback. Eric realised too late he'd shouldn't have said that. An apology seemed the best course.

“Sorry, Andy – 'ye of little faith' and so on. I'm happy you did speak to him. It sounds a great idea. I can't remember when the garden last looked presentable. Can I see the plans before anything happens?”

Andy started collecting his stuff together. “Course you can. You are the client, after all. And, anyway, part of the students' project will be working on how they need to inform the client or pitch the job, if you like. I'll see you tomorrow with what results, if that's OK?”

Eric was almost rubbing his hands with excitement, and his normally dour expression was replaced by a rare, open smile which then clouded over a little. “Oh, great! … Hang on … they haven't seen the garden or the path, or anything.”

Andy was quick to reassure him. “I took some photos when I looked round that first time. I'll show you them tomorrow, if you'd like? They were enough to give the college guys something to go on. When it comes down to specifics, they'll be here, measuring and all the rest of it. And they'll know you were in the business yourself – so they won't be able to pull the wool over your eyes. It'll be really good hands-on practice for them. Greg – he's the lecturer – will be keeping a close eye on what they're doing.”

He smiled affectionately at the old man who now seemed fired-up. “Right. I need to be off. I'll see you tomorrow. Same time as today?”

Eric nodded and smiled back.

“Great. Be seeing you, Eric.”

Eric got up out his chair to take his own things to the sink. “Thanks for everything today, Andy. It's been a real red letter day. You've been so much help.”

He got a huge grin in return as Andy opened the front door and headed towards his car.

Eric settled back down in his chair and picked up the book. He didn't open it though – instead, he leant back, and thought first of more money in his pocket. Then he smiled at the prospect of a new garden. That was something to look forward to. He'd have to get his thinking cap on – decide what he wanted.

After a minute or two, the old man got up and went over to the kitchen window. He'd do better looking at the garden while he was thinking. The side window looked out onto part of the back garden, where the bloody hooligans congregated. It had never been anything much – an unkempt piece of grass with bushes round the sides. Nothing much by way of flowers – even the bulbs had given up. He wanted colour from flowers, lots of colour, and he wanted to be able to plant them out himself.

The only way that was going to be possible was if the students built him a series of raised beds. It would mean losing some of the grass. Eric snorted. That would be no loss at all, and anyway there'd only be the problem of getting someone to cut it in the summer. It was hardly something he could ask Andy to do. The bushes needed thinning out. Those left would have to be clipped back to encourage strong new growth.

It was so good to be thinking about plants. Getting his hands back into the soil. Not for the first time since he'd met Andy, Eric told himself off. He'd been so wrapped up in the business of eking out a living, the garden might as well not existed for all the notice he'd taken of it. He moved round to the front and peered out of the living room window. A new path would be the main thing, though getting the front hedge hacked back was needed desperately. Leylandii were boring, but fine if kept under proper control, otherwise they could take over. A replacement beech hedge was too much to hope for.

Eric smiled. He was enjoying himself. It had been a very good day.