Waiting in

Well, we waited in all afternoon and evening for the gas man, and he never came (actually, we took it in turns, but it was still a bore). And John rang up the gas people, and it seems that the gas man is a gas woman, and John had to press lots of buttons, and was played horrible music, and was told over and over again about how wnoderful British Gas is, and if you need a bit of extra heating (read this carefully, because this tip is inspirational), turn on a fan heater! Now, who would have thought of that? British Gas, that's who.

I have long thought that it might be good (ie better paid than writing novels) to start a company: waitingin.com. You have lots of nice, honest, well-vetted people - retired, perhaps? - who will go round to people's houses and 'wait in' for the gas man, the groceries, the new fridge or whatever, and maybe (for a small bonus) do a little light housework of gardening or bath the dog while they're there.

What do you think?

Waiting in

I am waiting in. For the gas man. For the second day. He's very nice, apologetic when he doesn't make it in time etc etc. But there are things I want to do, and I can't do them.

People spend a lot of time waiting in - I have a rich friend who seems to spend most of his time doing it - and it occurred to me some time ago that there is a gap in the market for an organisation called, say, www.waitingin.com It doesn't exist yet; at least I hope it doesn't, because if the writing comes to nought, then I might start it myself. You phone up, and a nice person with excellent references and a hitherto blameless existence turns up, and waits in. For the new fridge, or the gas man, or the very large parcel, or even the visitor you're hoping to avoid ("I'm so sorry. She's been called away urgently, and won't be back for a fortnight"). A good idea, don't you think?

It might even make a plot for a novel, or a sit com (sit.com)?

You saw it here first.