soot

 It is early, and all but for the cat are asleep. The tricoloured cat is lodged on the knees clad in black jeans, and instead of going to work, read the internet, read a novel.

The cat likes the warm knees, for whatever reason. She likes to have her head scratched by the blunt human fingers too. Human fingers running along the contours of her chin are a delight, going by the tone of her purrs.

And then, she loses interest. Jumps to the floor, and wanders off into the kitchen. The son has made noises, and there might be something to eat. Cats have their priorities.

Put on the white plastic imitation croc shoes. They are for work in the house.

In the corner of the sitting room there is a stove, and it has not been drawing properly. The wife presumes a blocked stovepipe. Spread paper on the floor, to catch the soot. and carefully pull the pipe away from the stove, and then away from the connection bent pipe in the wall. Trying not to tip it or anything, lay it down on the paper. Then remove the bend, twisting carefully, The more horizontal piece after the bend has more soot in it, just lying there. Next door, in the kitchen, there is a final piece connecting to the chimney. This is near horizontal, and it is well filled with soot.

Wrap the three pieces of pipe in paper, and carry them downstairs to the back yard. There is a bucket here, and the soot can be emptied into that. Fold up the paper and bring it forward to the waste paper bin, it and the marks of soot will be recycled. The son is already clearing up the stairway, there had been a spillage through a small rip in the paper.

And then- The metal sweeps brush for cleaning the pipe is nowhere to be found. Search high and low, it is not where it should be.

After half an hour the meanwhile-risen wife finds it under the stairs, she had left it there the last time the pipes needed cleaning.

The wire brush is on a long twisted wire, it can be pulled through the pipe, the first time a small cloud of soot, and the second time more rust than soot. Clean all the pipes this way, and wipe the dust from the outside with an old towel.

Then take the pipes back up to the stove and install them again.

And hope that the stove will now draw better, as it should