Like An Old Oak Table (Pixie Squared)

'You'll never guess what' says Herself about a week after we moved into Chez Pixie - more than half a lifetime ago now

'What?' says me

'It's our neighbour' says Herself

'We have one?' says me, being the typical bloke quite happy to grunt a general message of greeting at people on the street but otherwise leave them to their own individual lives and take no interest whatsoever

'We have three' says Herself, 'but this one is special.  You'll never guess what his name is'

'Go on'

'No guess'

'Just go on'

'No...guess'

Pixie sighs, 'Oh....I don't know....Rhubarb McCrumble'

'Nope...' queue pause to big up the tension, 'his name is Pixie too!'

'Never!' I exclaim

'And guess what' says Herself, 'His partner is called....Herself!!'

'Well blow me down with a feather duster' says I

And to be honest - that was pretty much the extent of my relationship with Pixie 2 and Herself B - I barely saw her and him just to say hi to and refuse offers of cheap cigarettes and DVD's (no questions asked) from

Herself B moved to a place we English people call 'ooop North, leaving behind two cats (Charlie and Willow - who through a long series of events, mostly relating to them deciding they liked all the free food on offer - eventually became our cats) and Pixie 2 with his brother.

Many light years passed.  Pixie 2 bought his house from the council, but became more and more noticable by his absence.  Sure he had talked about selling up and moving away - but what with the housing slump etc

And then a few weeks ago a strange bloke knocked on our door and asked, 'Does Mr Pixie still live next door?'

Being a suspicious type and of a sensitive nature, IE not wanting to send someone around that might be in possession of a handy pair of thumbscrews and a hammer, I cautiously replied that as far as I knew he did, but that I didn't see him much.  This, of course, got Herself's Gossip-o-meter whirring at such a speed that local aircraft carriers had to take large diversions to avoid the resultant turbulence.

However, yesterday after a particularly long period of having vanished (like an old oak table...no...that's varnished...oh well) there was a sudden banging from next door, and a big white van parked outside.

Even I, the usually detached, must admit: I was curious.

Finally the van drove away and I went outside to see a padlock had been added to the door and a notice put up in the window to say that all possessions within, having failed to be claimed by certain date, have been withdrawn by Estate Agents Plc

So it seems that the house has been re-posessed and must now lie vacant until it can be sold.  Which is a rather sad way to end our story of Pixies Squared.  Every time I see an empty building I can't help but feel a little sad that someone's dream has been lost.  Pixie 2 had grown up in that house, and to lose it in that way: with nothing to show for it...well...

I can't help but wonder: had he tried to resolve the situation with the agents before it got too late, was there nothing that he could have done. 

Or did he just vanish

Like an old oak table