Home improvement quarantine project #4

Tom's bathroom renovation has finally begun! He started grousing about redoing the hall bathroom many moons ago, and after finally taking the plunge and hiring the same company that did our master bathroom, he had to wait. 

Due to COVID, construction is hopping, and we were told the end of December. That really meant January, but when we got the call that we were good to go, I vetoed it. Or rather, I put it into terms that I knew would force Tom to reject the date.

Me: "Darcy and Oleg will still be living with us then, so you will all need to coordinate your morning bathroom routines for those three days, keeping in mind that you and Darcy work and Oleg has interviews scheduled."

Tom called the company and pushed it back for two more weeks. Last weekend, knowing construction would begin today, I asked if he would be there when the worker bees arrived.

Tom: "What for?"

Me: "To make sure that the job is done right, unlike last time."

Monday afternoon, he took me into the bathroom to explain in detail what was to be done. 

Me: "So this is your way of telling me, no, you will not be here to make sure the job is done correctly?"

I was on a deadline and didn't have time for his simulation games, but since I know how to manipulate guide him, we got through the run-down in five minutes, and I was prepared when the gentleman arrived this morning. 

Head Guy: "Let's go into the room and discuss what we will do."

Me: "Let's. I'm more than prepared."

Head Guy: "We will--" he proceeded to go through the details until he got to the toilet. "We have a problem, here. The toilet is against the wall, and I need to get the new wall behind it. We have a problem."

Me: "There is no "we" here, just to be clear."

He moved on, giving me more details. 

Head Guy: "We're stopping the new wall here?"

Me: "Correct."

Head Guy: "Why aren't we going to the door frame?"

Me: "That was the Big Guy's decision. Big Guy meaning the husband. I have no idea why he stopped there. Maybe because it was too expensive?"

Head Guy: "You see, I have to chip away here, and when I do, the tile over here might start breaking."

Me: "In which case, you will fix your mistake by going to the door frame with the new wall?"

I winked. Head Guy laughed. His assistant chuckled. Head Guy moved on, tapping the cabinet hanging over the toilet. 

Head Guy: "Do you want this to remain here?"

Me: "I do."

Head Guy: "We--this might be a problem. I'll have to take it off the wall, and it might be tricking to get it off in one piece." 

Me: "Okay, I get that, I really do. Do what you can. If it doesn't come off easily, then the Big Guy will just have to buy me a new one."

Head Guy: "So, no problem, then. I'll break it as I take it off the wall."

Yep, we're going to get along just fine for the next three days!