Pulling the finger out (2)

During the day, I have been working for an engineer friend. Thai boyfriend Maiyuu wants me to ask my friend to pay me early for the day job, so we will be flush with cash again.

I would rather delay payment until the temporary day job is done, early next week. It does not look good to ask for money before a job is finished.

But the boyfriend is unaware of such nuances...for him, it is just work for which someone has yet to give me money.

'Can we paint today?' I asked. The weekend might be a good time to make progress. If he was unable to paint alone, then perhaps he would be more willing if we painted together.

'No...the ceiling has to be done first, and it hurts my arm to reach it,' he said.

'But I saw you attach the roller to a shower pole to help you reach high places, and that seemed to work,' I countered.

Lacking cash, I suspect the boyfriend is feeling depressed, so has no enthusiasm to work.

I lost my patience.

'If you don't paint today, then when the money arrives next week, I shall hire a painter to finish the job. I will not give you the money, but arrange it myself,' I said.

'That will be wasted money, as we could do it together for free.'

'I'll do it,' he said, while giving me a foul look. 'You are annoying.'

I would rather be annoying than tolerate any longer a boyfriend who sits around feeling sorry for himself.

I can't understand how he could spend a week of his life doing nothing - but then I am a foreigner, and he's Thai.

Nor can I understand how he could let me go to work 11 hours a day, not including travel time, while he will let go this golden opportunity to get the painting done without any annoying distractions. Doesn't he want to live in a freshly-painted home?

Postscript: Maiyuu refused help from me, saying I can't paint to save myself. Actually, that's not true. He just wants to say something nasty to feel better about being forced to work.

He was productive, despite cramming everything into one day. Maiyuu has now finished one wall, and done half of a side wall. He has not started on the ceiling yet.

As I left for work, I thought he might have made a start on the ceiling. But with me gone, the incentive disappeared. I have to be present at home for him to paint, even if he doesn't want my help.

now, see part 3