Buddha Da Read online

  ‘Eh, ah’m no sure … when were you thinkin of?’

  ‘Well, it was more when it was suitable for you. Any time over the next few months. Be nice to get some of it done before Christmas but there’s really no rush. Are you very busy just now?’

  ‘We’ve a couple of wee jobs on this week and there’s a big commercial wan comin up soon.’

  ‘Would it be possible for you to come through and see the place, give me a quote, towards the end of this week maybe? I’d pay expenses, of course.’

  ‘Aye, ah think we’ll be finished on Friday mornin … ah suppose ah could come through Friday lunchtime if that’s OK.’

  ‘Great.’

  Ah’d never done much drivin in Embra but the flat was quite easy tae find, in a street somewhere up fae the Meadows. Fae the ootside it didnae look much different fae a tenement in Glesga. The close was dark and the front door was painted a dull green. There was a tartan doorplate wi ‘Tweedie’ on it and under that was a piece of card on wi ‘B. Mellis’ typed on it. The bell was wanny they real old-fashioned bell pulls, no an eletric wan – it made a nice jinglin sound. Ah could hear Barbara’s footsteps comin towards the door; she planted her feet doon heavily though she wasnae a heavy wumman, and ah could hear her janglin as she moved.

  When she answered the door she was wearin purple leggins, a big baggy jumper and lots of rattly metal bangles up her airms.

  ‘Hi Jimmy. Nice to see you. Come in.’

  As ah came in the door she kissed me on the cheek.

  ‘Come through and I’ll make us some coffee.’

  She led me intae the livin room, which was huge wi a fancy cornice round the ceilin. A couch covered wi a velvet throw and a coupla bean bags was aboot aw the furniture except for an enormous statue of the Buddha in the bay windae wi caundles aw round.

  ‘My God, you don’t need tae go on retreat. You could set up yer ain Centre here.’

  ‘Suppose so. He’s lovely isn’t he? A friend brought him back from India then didn’t have room for him. I find his presence very calming.’

  ‘Aye.’

  ‘Have you had some lunch?’

  ‘Afore ah came through. Could murder a cuppa tea though.’

  ‘I’ve got Earl Grey or herbal.’

  ‘Nae Typhoo? Or even Scottish Blend?’

  ‘Fraid not.’

  ‘Oh well, gie’s the Earl Grey. Milk, nae sugar.’

  When she was oot the room ah had a look round at the paintwork. It was basically in good nick though it was pretty dull, painted a kind of putty shade all round, the cornice a dingy cream. A coupla coats would dae if she was just wantin it brightened up. The hall was a disaster though – a dreary shade of dark green wi a red carpet. Ah can never unnerstaund how folk paint these halls in really dark colours when they get nae light.

  ‘Casting a professional eye, are you?’

  Barbara set a tray doon on a wee table wi elephant legs, which she pulled oot fae behind the settee. Two mugs and a plate a biscuits.

  ‘Whit was it you were wantin done?’

  ‘This room, the bedroom and the hall to start off. The kitchen and bathroom have been refurbished quite recently so they’re fine and there’s another room which I use for my work but that can wait till later.’

  ‘Whit is it you dae?’

  ‘Research – I don’t actually carry out the research myself but I do the writing up. I examine the data, work out the statistical evidence and all that. Do you know much about homeopathy?’

  ‘No really. But Liz buys they wee remedies oot of Boots if you’ve got a cold or that.’

  ‘Yes, it’s getting more popular now.’

  ‘Right enough. Aboot yer decoratin – did you have any colours in mind?’

  ‘I’m not sure. Something neutral in here – keep it light. And maybe a violet-blue for the bedroom. I did wonder about orange for the hall. It’s such a healing colour and I think it would be welcoming.’

  ‘Ah presume you’re thinkin aboot gettin a new carpet.’

  She looked at me as if she didnae know whit ah was talkin aboot for a minute, then a smile broke ower her face.

  ‘I see what you mean. The red wouldn’t exactly go with it. Yes I’m getting rid of it. Actually I might just get a rug. The floorboards underneath are polished – I can’t imagine why they covered it over with that thing.’

  ‘They?’

  ‘The people I bought it from. The Tweedies – their name’s still on the front door in case there’s mail for them. Oh, and speaking of the front door – I’d like that painted too. Bright red. Good feng shui. That’s why I haven’t put up a proper brass nameplate on the door yet – I was waiting till I got the door painted.’

  ‘Have you no been here lang then?’

  ‘Three months. Look, d’you think you could do the job?’

  ‘It’s no a difficult job if you’re just wantin it painted. Coupla coats in here and the bedroom, three in the hall tae cover that dark colour. It’s just ah’d need tae talk tae ma brother first – you know we don’t usually work this far out.’

  ‘Do you work with your brother then?’

  ‘Aye. We used tae work for other firms but him and me set up thegether nine year ago and we’ve never looked back. Always had work on the go and it’s nearly always word of mouth now. Wan guy works for us full-time and we can call in some others if it’s a bigger job.’

  ‘So you’re doing well.’

  ‘Cannae complain. Look, suppose ah send you a quote and throw in a bit extra for the travellin. Ah’ll talk tae John and check he’s up for it. We could fit you in the week after next if he’s OK aboot it.’

  ‘Great. Thanks, Jimmy. I’d be happy to pay whatever you think is suitable. I just couldn’t face some strange men wandering round my house.’

  ‘Sorry, Barbara – the job’s aff.’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘If you don’t want strange men wanderin roond yer hoose ye cannae call in me and our John – ah mean they don’t come any stranger than us.’

  It’s a funny place, Edinburgh. An hour away fae Glesga and you might as well be in another country. Another planet even. Ah mean it just feels different, it’s as if it’s got different air or sumpn. Clearer. The weather’s too – doesnae rain as much. Caulder, brighter. Somehow ah felt different as well, gaun through there tae work. At first ah thought it’d be a drag travellin through but ah sterted tae really look forward tae it. Maistly ah was on ma ain. Just how it turnt oot. John and me and Boabby done the first coupla days thegether, gettin the big stuff done, ceilins and walls, but then we had tae juggle it wi another job that come up in Jordanhill – guy we’d worked for had a burst tank in his loft and the place was in a right tip. The others got on wi that while ah continued wi Barbara’s place. There was a lot of footery stuff – cornice she wanted picked oot in different colours – and ah really like daein them while it does John’s heid in. ‘You don’t mind gaun through tae Embra by yersel?’

  ‘Naw, a wee change.’

  ‘Aye but it’s the drivin.’

  ‘Ah can mibbe work a bit later a few nights and that’ll speed it up.’

  ‘Ah’m sure that Barbara wumman’d gie ye yer tea.’

  ‘Fish supper’ll dae me.’

  ‘Mibbe even gie ye mair than yer tea if you play yer cards right.’

  ‘She’s no ma type.’

  ‘She’s female, is she no? And yous two could dae a bit of meditatin thegether.’

  ‘That’ll be right.’

  It had crossed ma mind at the start that Barbara might of had a wee fancy for me. Efter all, it was a bit funny gettin a painter tae come aw the way fae Glesga tae Embra. But there was nae sign of any funny stuff, no even when ah turnt up on ma ain. She made me a cuppa tea when ah arrived and then left me to it. She always offered tae gie me lunch but ah like tae nip oot for a roll or a poke a chips or that when ah’m workin – just get oot the hoose fur a bit a fresh air. Hate bein stuck inside aw day. She spent nearly all day
in her wee room at her computer or whatever she was daein. Sometimes ah’d hear her on the phone or she’d stick her heid round the door tae tell me she was gaun oot. Ah kind of got used tae havin her round in the background, there but no there.

  Like ah said, a lot of the work was quite footery, specially the cornice that she wanted done in different colours. Ah usually listen tae music when ah’m workin but ah didnae like tae have it on too much in case ah was disturbin her at her work so ah spent maisty the time quiet, just paintin. It was dead peaceful in the hoose and thon big statue of the Buddha; well, it was like she said, it had a calming presence. When she came in the room ah near fell aff the ladder, ah’d forgotten there was embdy else there.

  ‘Christ, ah goat a fright – ah was in another world there.’

  ‘Sorry – want a cup of tea? It’s about half three – I’m ready for a break.’

  ‘Aye, thanks.’ Ah climbed doon aff the ladder, stretched ma airms above ma heid. ‘Does yer back in, that stuff. You get that involved in it you don’t realise you’ve got yersel intae really awkward positions and then when you come doon it’s agony. Thon Michelangelo fella done his back in paintin the Sistine Chapel.’

  ‘You should do yoga.’

  ‘Yoga? Ah don’t think ah’d look too hot in a leotard.’

  ‘Lots of men do it. They wear shorts. I’m serious. It’s really good for your back. The stretching strengthens it, and if you do a few positions when you come down from the ladder it’ll help avoid any pain. I could show you a few basic ones – look.’

  She bent ower and put her haunds on the flair. Her arse was stickin up in the air; just as well Boabby wasnae there.

  ‘Ah can just imagine me and the boys daein a yoga routine afore we started work. Ah mean, they think the meditation’s weird enough – if ah start dain yoga they’ll be cartin me aff tae the funny farm.’

  Ah followed her intae the kitchen where she put on the kettle and ah started tae wash ma haunds at the sink. It was a beautiful kitchen; you could tell the units were they dead expensive wans, wi a dragged paint finish on them and carved bits round the edges. Ah wondered how she made her money – couldnae see that this research lark could pay that much.

  We sat doon at the kitchen table tae have wer tea.

  ‘You seem to enjoy your job, Jimmy.’

  ‘Aye, ah dae. Ah really love paintin that cornice of yours. It’s beautiful.’

  ‘Yes, it’s going to be lovely when it’s finished. So many people just paint them one colour but I think you owe it to the design to pick it out in different ones.’

  ‘A lot of folk want tae dae that but when you gie them the estimate and tell them how much time it’s gonnae take they change their minds. It is a lot dearer.’

  ‘How long d’you think it’s going to take you?’

  ‘Well, wi me bein on ma ain noo, a bit longer. Ah mean the mully’s aw done but there’s still the joe loss.’

  ‘Huh?’

  ‘Painter-speak. Mully’s emulsion, Joe Loss – gloss.’

  She laughed. ‘I like that. What other words do you use between yourselves?’

  ‘Ah don’t know if ah can tell you – ah mean, givin away state secrets and that …’

  ‘Go on, won’t tell a soul.’

  ‘Well, if you ever get a painter in for an estimate and he says tae his mate, “This is an elsie”, run a mile – means they’re just gonnae put wan coat of paint on it. Elsie Tanner – wanner – get it?’

  ‘My God.’ She was really laughin noo, her eyes shone. Ah’d never seen her like that.

  ‘That was how me and John set up in business for wersels. We used tae work for this guy years ago and he just cut corners aw the time. You’d put wan coat on a wall and it’d be near four o’clock and he’d come in and say, “That’ll dae boys, that’s an elsie, finish up.” See, it can look OK wi wan coat but when you look close there’s streaks and everythin in it – it’s no right. And you’d say, “Naw, it’s no an elsie,” but he was the boss. And we got jobs all right but you wouldnae get folk askin you back, no unless they were blind. So me and John decided tae set up on wer ain, dae things properly.’

  ‘I like that, it shows you’ve got integrity.’

  ‘Well who wants tae dae folk? Fair’s fair – you may as well dae it right. And the thing is, it pays in the long run. When we sterted oot we didnae know if it would work oot or no but that’s us gaun for nine year noo and we’re always workin and maisty oor work is word of mouth – folk recommend us and we get asked back. And we make good money.’

  ‘Right livelihood. Very Buddhist.’

  ‘Sorry?’

  ‘Most people think Buddhism’s about meditating, but it’s really about how you live your whole life. Part of it is the idea that you make your living in a good way, not a harmful or dishonest one.’

  ‘So all this time ah’ve been a Buddhist while ah’m paintin. Ah could of saved masel all that hassle meditatin.’

  ‘I think maybe that’s true – I don’t mean that you shouldn’t meditate, but … I don’t know how to put it; it’s as if we’re always trying to get there, reach something, and that isn’t it. It’s being fully aware in the day to day that’s important, being completely engaged in what we’re doing. And maybe for you, it’s the painting. When you’re doing your job, you’re fully present.’

  Ah sat for a moment, haudin the mug, cradlin it in ma haund. What was left of the tea was cauld noo but ah didnae want tae put it doon, didnae want tae stop this conversation. Barbara looked straight at me, serious, but wi a wee hauf smile; and it was the first time ah’d ever seen that look on anybody but the lama. Just for a moment, a split second, it was as though the room had disappeared and there was just the two of us, mugs in wer haunds, lookin. Ah wanted tae ask her mair, talk aboot it, but somehow ah fund ah couldnae speak, just sat there. Then ah stood up.

  ‘Better get back tae ma meditatin, then.’

  Barbara smiled.

  ‘Me too.’ She lifted the mugs and took them tae the sink.

  Ah stopped at the door. ‘Eh, Barbara, mind you were askin how long the job’s gonnae take?’

  She turned roond. ‘Yes – have you any idea? I mean, it doesn’t really matter, it’s just if it’s going to be over the weekend I need to rearrange some plans.’

  ‘Well, ah was gonnae suggest, if you didn’t mind me stayin a bit longer, workin intae the evenin a bit, ah could finish it quicker.’

  ‘That would be great. If you don’t mind – makes it a long day for you.’

  ‘If ah leave at teatime ah’m only gonnae hit the rush hour traffic anyway, so ah’m wastin time sittin in a traffic queue.’

  ‘Why don’t you do that then, stay a bit later, but on one condition.’

  ‘Whit’s that?’

  ‘You need to let me give you something to eat – you can’t work late on an empty stomach.’

  ‘Done.’

  So the next few nights that was what ah done. Ah fund masel gettin intae a routine, heidin through tae Embra in the mornin, gettin a paper and a roll at a wee shop round the corner fae Barbara’s. Then she’d make me a cuppa tea and ah’d get stuck intae the work aw day wi just a wee break at lunchtime. She left me by masel durin the day but about five o’clock she’d make a meal, pasta or rice wi vegetables; no a big dinner, just enough tae keep me gaun. It was nice, sittin in the kitchen, cosy. She lit caundles every night and we’d sit there wi some classical music on the CD. She never really talked aboot hersel much, nothin personal, just aboot meditation or the work she was daein or asked me aboot ma job. It was weird, sittin in candelight across fae a wumman and just no really knowin anythin aboot her. Efter we’d eaten ah’d get back tae work and dae another coupla hours then heid hame. Ah was back about nine at night and risin at haulf six so you’d of thought ah’d of been knackered but ah wasnae. Seemed tae have loads a energy – no mad, jumpin aboot energy, just feelin right in masel, kind of peaceful and centred.

  By the Thursday ah’d finished the cor
nice and all the woodwork in the big room. It looked brilliant. The two of us stood at the door and just looked.

  ‘It’s fantastic, Jimmy, I’m so pleased.’

  ‘Aye, me too. Pity John cannae see it … ah’ll need tae take a photie.’

  ‘Jimmy, d’you think you could do me a favour tomorrow?’

  ‘What is it?’

  ‘Well I’d like to get the room back to order. Could you help me put up the curtains – they’re velvet so they’re a bit heavy.’

  ‘Aye, nae bother. Ah’ve no that much left the morra. Just the woodwork in the hall and the last coat on the front door.’

  ‘The joe loss?’

  ‘Get you an apprenticeship yet.’

  The next day ah helped her wi the curtains and she spent a while puttin all her bits and pieces thegether. Paintin the the woodwork in the hall was a bitty an anticlimax efter the cornice – room looked nice though, the orange she’d chosen was dead warm. She’d a good sense a colour, Barbara. Some folk pick shades that you know are gonnae be a disaster but she was wanny they folk that could pick really strong colours that could of maybe been too OTT, but somehow just worked.

  When ah’d finished the door she came oot intae the close.

  ‘Wonderful. It’s perfect. Red front doors are really lucky you know. Ready for a cup of tea?’

  ‘Aye, ah’ll just get cleaned up first.’

  Sittin opposite her in the kitchen ah wondered whit tae dae. It was only hauf-three so ah couldnae expect tae be stayin for ma tea but it felt a bit flat tae just be gaun hame. Ah didnae want tae leave. Ah know whit John would of said if ah’d tried tae explain it tae him but it just wasnae like that. There was nothin gaun on; ah didnae fancy the wumman wan bit and ah got nae signals fae her either. It was just, there was some kind of a bond between us. And efter the week ah wanted it tae end wi us sittin doon and havin a meal thegether, no me just heidin aff like that.

  Then she said, ‘Jimmy, can I ask you one more favour? It might seem a bit strange.’

  ‘Ask away.’