Daily Prompt: Keeping up with the Jones’

Tell us about the one luxury item you wish you could afford, in as much detail as you can. Paint a picture for us.

Photographers, artists, poets: show us COVET.

Not every day I see an MG sports car

I do not covet, at least I no longer covet and I would not want the car in the photo if it was given to me free, but I am sure it is the pride and joy of its owner. My car has to be smaller, an automatic and fit nicely into a normal standard parking space as I am not so good at manoeuvring. I had a good subject for a photo at the local supermarket parking lot. Talking of cars, I remember being very impressed once when I was driving home from work. In front of me was a nice shiny red Lamborgini Countach. I had to look it up when I got home to see what it actually was. Even the number plate had red numbers with a gold background. It made a sort of throaty chugging sound whilst it was waiting at the traffic lights; perhaps it was love at first sight, but no. I did not covet it as I would have to be able to drive it and that was a big not possible.

I grew up in a working class family, dad worked in a factory on shifts: two weeks nightwork and two weeks days. Mum was an office cleaner in the city of London. She worked from around 6.30 a.m. until 7.30 a.m. before the offices opened. Emptying trash baskets and dusting down the office desks, just generally putting everything in clean working order before the bowler hatted umbrella carrying city gents arrived at work. She was home around 08.00 a.m. in time to get me out of bed for school. As you can see I was not spoilt and was constantly reminded that we did not have the money to buy this and that. I did not actually go without; I just gave up asking for anything. I realised when I was young that if I wanted something then I had to deal with it myself. There was a school trip on a ship, a Baltic Sea cruise, calling in on Scandinavian countries and Russia – Leningrad as it was then known. I wanted to go, very badly. Mum said I will look and see, meaning probably not. I searched for a Saturday job in a shop and found one and worked for a year every Saturday saving. I was successful, paid for everything myself and also had pocket money to take with me.

Coveting was no discussion in my family, if you want it badly then do it yourself. As a teenager I bought all my own clothes, even when I was at school. Keeping up with fashion in the swinging sixties was a must and mum just thought a cheap dress on a stall down the road would do. I worked in the City of London and during the lunch hour would have a look in the various clothing shops and save to buy what I wanted.

Today I am satisfied, having all I need, but just a minute. This afternoon I cleaned the shower. I also have a bathroom to clean and these are the two rooms I hate to clean. Cleaning is not my hobby, but it has to be done. I like to do it regularly to avoid a big and exhausting job. I would love to have a cleaning lady or man to clean my bathroom and shower. It is the time it takes to do it all that bothers me, when I could be writing a blog, taking a walk or reading a book. So, that would be it, a cleaning lady or man. To be quite honest I did not grow up having people clearing away my mess and it is something that would probably disturb me and I would be stupid enough to help out.

Anyone looking for a job, WordPress are paying the wages so no problem.

Daily Prompt: Keeping up with the Jones’

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10 thoughts on “Daily Prompt: Keeping up with the Jones’”

I try to avoid it all–coveting, envy and jealousy–but every now and then…;) the ole green-eyed guy gets me.

Still, I am mostly satisfied with what I have, and hope that hard work (at writing, submitting, editing, et al) will eventually pay off. 🙂

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I like your anecdotes about working for the things you wanted – I had to do that myself and it’s a value I want to pass on to my own children because I fear I will never be able to just give them all of their hearts’ desires – and perhaps that is a good thing. But Mme. Ross was a bit more fortunate in that regard, so I have a strategic situation to handle long-term in that respect. Still, I think I’d try to help the cleaning person as well!

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That’s the job I always put off until last; cleaning the bathroom. Especially the master bath, which no one sees but he and me.

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angloswiss

30/11/2013 at 09:21

Yes, you have a point there – I wonder why I bother.

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Great post, Pat. No matter the income or status, I think you struck gold with this. Me, I would not help. I would leave the house, so I wasn’t tempted. I am always astounded when I hear someone cleaned their house before the cleaner arrived… nuts!

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angloswiss

30/11/2013 at 09:21

I have a few neighbours and friends that have a cleaning lady once a week, but I have never been interested. When I was a working woman it would have been quite good, on the other hand I did not want to spend my hard earned money for something like that. I am probably just a do-it-youself type.

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