Tag Archive for 'awning'

Under the awning of an Adria Twin motorhome

Published on January 15, 2009 in motor home and motorhome. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , .

Tom Hutchinson gazed at Mandy over his wine glass as they sat comfortably under the awning of the Adria Twin motorhome.

“It’s the old story, I suppose. I was too busy working hard to notice that I wasn’t spending enough time with my wife and when I got back from a major project, she was spending all her time with my neighbour and had no inclination to come back and spend time with me. It happens a lot in my line of work.”

“I would have thought that a writer would be working at home a lot and therefore would find it easy to spend time with his wife,” said Mandy, puzzled.

Tom Hutchinson hesitated, momentarily. “I do a lot of travel writing,” he explained, Mandy thought lamely.

Something didn’t ring true but Tom Hutchinson was the customer and she was the one needing a sale so she didn’t think it appropriate to press him.

It was enough to check the flow of conversation and, for a while, they ate and gazed over the rolling fields towards the sea, each in their own thoughts.

Tom Hutchinson was the first to break their silence.

“Marriage sucks,” he said.

“I’ll drink to that,” said Mandy.

They clinked glasses. The bond seemed to have been forged again between them.

“What about your boss’s farm. Do you think he makes a lot of money farming.

Mandy decided, suddenly, that Tom Hutchinson had asked too many questions about Ruarc’s business.

“I think there are two different kinds of businessmen in the world,” she said, cautiously. Whatever the economic climate, there are the sort of businessmen that succeed and there are the sort of businessmen that don’t. My boss is obviously very successful in his own way with his motorhome business and I’m sure that he applies the same business skills to his management of the farm. ”

It was a careful political answer. Both of them understood why – nothing more needed to be said. It was clear that Mandy had no intention of discussing her employer’s business any more.

They chatted inconsequential for a further five minutes and then, at Mandy’s suggestion, packed up and drove back to the Ruarc’s motorhome sales office.

Ruarc had gone out but there was a folded note under the windscreen wiper of Tom’s campervan.

Tom meets Mandy to try out an Adria Twin motorhome with the fixed double bed

Published on January 14, 2009 in motor home and motorhome. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Tom Hutchinson arrived on time with a cold box and Mandy and he were soon bowling down the road in the Adria Twin motorhome with the fixed double bed.

Tom Hutchinson drove and Mandy sat in the passenger seat keeping quiet while he got used to the controls.

They climbed up the hill along quiet country lanes until they reached a viewpoint with the countryside spreading all around them. In the distance there was an estuary and behind them they could just see in the distance Ruarc’s motorhome sales and  farm.

Tom Hutchinson pulled into the parking area and switched off the engine.

“It runs very nicely,” he said. “A bit different from my rattly old VW campervan.”

Mandy smiled sideways at Tom Hutchinson. She was feeling very mellow.

“If you move the Adria Twin motor home over there onto the grass, we can pull out the motorhome awning and I’ve got a table and two chairs I put on the back earlier so we can eat in comfort… and I brought an apple.”

Tom Hutchinson started the engine again and pulled over to the grass as directed. Mandy felt relieved that the awning wasn’t difficult to open and retrieved the table and two chairs from the back of the motor home.

Tom opened up his cold box. Mandy observed that he had far more than he needed for himself and even a bottle of white wine at the bottom keeping cold.

“You are going to have to help me eat this,” Tom Hutchinson said.

“It looks an absolute feast,” said Mandy. “What on earth are those?”

“Caviar vol-au-vent!” Tom Hutchinson gave his easy smile.

“Don’t you think that caviar is a bit expensive for a working lunch? You must be a very well paid writer!”

“I get by. Unfortunately, my income is only ever as good as my next work. That’s the way it goes in my occupation. It’s a winner takes all market. I’ve been a winner a few times but that gives no guarantees for the future. How about you? Have you always sold motor homes? ”

“Certainly not. I did a degree in music but it’s a very difficult way to make a living – probably like writing – so I turned my hand to office work for a while. Then I got married and my career seemed less important as I followed my husband around Europe with his job in Finance. When we split up, after five years, I didn’t know what to do with myself so I started a ladies boutique but it never worked and I lost a lot of money.”

Tom Hutchinson passed Mandy the dish containing the caviar vol-au-vent and a glass of white wine with a smile of sympathy and pointed towards the motorhome sales business in the distance.

“Your Ruarc seems to be making money, even in the recession, how does he do it?”

“He tells me that he provides customers with what they want,” said Mandy. “He keeps quite a big stock and relies on turnover to make it worthwhile which benefits the customers through low prices so they keep coming back.” It was the official line and, even if Tom Hutchinson’s eyes were gorgeously brown, it wasn’t the time to change it. How about you? Are you successfully married as well as being a caviar and white wine writer?