Eric's Trouser Problem.

 At breakfast this morning, and as planned, dad asked Eric if he would go to the  farm store to pick up some things for the farm, such as blades for the mower, tines and grease cartridges etc.

"Can Kate go with you as she wants to buy a sun hat and a few shirts for summer?"

Thankfully Eric agreed, there was no reason why he wouldn't, in fact I think he liked the idea to be honest.

Once at the store he went to the counter and got the items that he had gone for while I went to the clothing and picked out a hat and also a brown leather belt. I'd been struggling all weekend to formulate a plan of action when at the store but hadn't really been able to think of anything very good. So now I was sort of playing it by ear I think it's called, the belt was the start of the plan.

I took my things to the counter and joined Eric and the guy serving him. It was the same guy who took care of me and mum that time, and he remembered me. I told the guy that I would be buying my own things so not to put them on the farm account. Eric signed the paper for his things and I then passed him the belt and after taking it from me, asked him to go and pick a pair of trousers for himself to match the belt.

He looked a little bemused, and said, "I don't need any trousers."

"I'm sorry Eric, but I think you do, and you must know that you do too. I want to buy them for you as a friend, please don't force me to pull rank on you." Now that's my version of bossing it! I don't like to brag about myself, like grandfather often told me, 'self praise is no recommendation'. But I couldn't help feeling that I played that well. 

It did the trick anyway as Eric walked off, with what I hoped was fake reluctance, to the clothing section. 

The guy at the counter said, "It looks like you're settling in alright then?"

I assured him that I was getting there and that I was loving it. We chattered a little more before I excused myself, as I wanted to make sure Eric was behaving himself and not picking more of what he already had. The guy from the counter came with me. From the way he acts I get the feeling that he likes me a bit.

Eric had chosen a pair of trousers that he liked in a size that he said were better than what he had on. I made him go and try them on and when he return I didn't mess around. If he insisted on acting like a child over buying a pair of trousers, he deserved to be treated like one. So I grabbed at the waistband to feel what slack there was, they were much improved on his present pair, not that I've ever felt the need to interferer with those for any reason. You just have to look to see they aren't right.

So whilst there was a bit of slack to be found in he waist, knowing how long Eric liked to make things last I felt a size bigger would be best to accommodate any future expansion. So I asked the store guy if there was a pair one size bigger. He promptly found a pair and handed them to me and I gave them to Eric and said to try them on. He came back saying that the other pair was better as these were too lose.

I handed him the belt, "That's what this is for."

I wasn't sure at this point whether he was happy or had given up the will to resist, but he seemed to accept his lot. So I paid up and we left with Eric wearing his new trousers.

When we got in the car I pointed out how much better that must feel.

He didn't admit that it did, instead saying, "You're a right one you are, I can see now why you mum and dad make sure they stuck hold of you when they found you!"

That stuck me as funny because I always see it as me sticking hold of them.

After parking up back at the farm he thanked me before we parted ways. I said he was welcome and that I hoped I wasn't too bossy, "I just didn't want you getting in to anymore trouble or anything.

I was in the pantry when he came in for lunch, and I had to stop and listen before returning to the kitchen as he was all full of himself telling mum all about getting his new trousers and what an awesome girl I am. It really thrilled me no end, even more so thinking how mum must have felt on hearing him raving like that. I never let on that I heard any of it.