HIS DAY OFF.

Auckland Star, Volume 55, Issue 94, 21 April 1924, Page 6

HIS DAY OFF.

SPENT AT HOME. IN PEACE AND QUIETPERHAPS. ' He was standing in Queen Street, apparently deep in thought, when the "Star" representative approached and queried, "Not working?" "No, not to-day, but I wish I were. It's cruel trying to kill time." "Why not put in a quiet day at home?" asked the reporter. "Put in a what? No, I'm not going home till 5 o'clock if 1 have to walk the streets all day." The reporter hesitated, imagined domestic troubles, and then ventured cautiously, "Nothing wrong?" "Oh, no, nothing really scriou., but I had one day at home this week, and that will do mc for all time. The man who wrote 'There is no place like home' knew what ho was writing about—there isn't, well not on a' Monday. 1 don't know what Saturday is like, but I am taking no risks." "I don't quite get you." , "No, of course yoi* don't. Just let mc tell you my experience. Last Monday was given over to stocktaking, and I had a day off. It being quite unexpected, I thought a quiet day at home would be just lovely. All right, early ;in the morning I pack the wife and kiddie off to the beach for the day— make myself a good follow (this was accompanied with a wink which suggested years of practice), and I settled down to enjoy myself. Yes, 1 settled down—but I didn't remain down." "Why, what happened?" "What happened'- What didn't happen would be more to the point. Without exaggerating, it was the busiest day I ever put in. 1 never had a moment to myself." "How was that?" ask.d the reporter. "Now, don't interrupt, and I'll tell you. It was about hall-past eight when the first knock came. The milkman was responsible, and he had called to collect the previous week's account. I remembered the wife telling mc she had left the money, but "where I had forgotten, and this little forgetfulnc.s on my part cost mc 3/0. I found out subsequently the money was in the vegetable dish on the dresser." "You were unlucky." "That was nothing. Shortly afterward a chap whose flow of language suggested he was a Yank, called and tried to talk mc into insuring the kiddie for £12 10/, the money to be drawn about 15 years later, the sub. to be 'tliruppence' a week. It took him fully an hour to use up every- word in Webster, but after a great go I bsat him. I'll guarantee he hadn't reach id the gate 'before a Chinaman called with an armful of cabbages, beetroot, carrots, etc. I didn't keep him long, but had to part with 1/4, which he said was owing from tho week before. When I asked for the account he took mc to the corner of the house and showed mc a few pencil marks on 1 the wall.' First time I knew Chinamen kept tlieir accounts on the houses of their customers. I think I did manage to reach lunch time without any further interruptions, but the afternoon was cruel. Hardly five minutes passed without a caller, and at times I thought they must be lined up in a queue in the side passage. There were persons to look through t\ie house—it was for sale—a man to know if J was getting the "Star" delivered regularly, the gas 'man to read the meter, the grocer, a chap selling writing pads and envelopes, another with a wonderful metal polish— at least, so he said—a member of the Salvation Army with the 'War Cry,' ■nd about a dozen others. Then the wife arrived home, and I was never more pleased in my life to see her." "No callers at night?" asked the "Star" man. "Couldn'fsay. I had a splitting headachy and went to bed early."