It was week two of my life in Barbados.  I could not say that everything was fine.  I had my neighbour Gretchen in my doorway too frequently and this was just one irritation more.

-Hello, good afternoon.

She would call several variations of this into my dark flat.  

-Hi - good afternoon.

Repeating it until I came to the door.

Good morning, good evening - Gretchen was flexible about her drop-in times.  I'm not a fan of dropping in generally and as far as I could tell her visits were always about herself.  

I was afraid that when I finally got this place right enough to sit at my desk and work (more cleaning and a major repaint required) than my precious concentration would be broken repeatedly and at any time.

She also had the uncanny knack of arriving during my secretive, late-night suppers.

-Good evening, are you there.

I am - or rather I was - and my escape was to watch re-runs of Hawaii 5-0 on Netflix whilst spooning overpriced New England tahini directly from the jar.

-I was just having dinner Gretchen.  Tahini - neat - no bread.  I like it, like a pulp.  

Gretchen was model thin and not surprisingly this Bajan adventure had already gifted me two pounds.

-Me, I can smell it.

Gretchen had a way of saying things that seemed to me unfriendly somehow.

-Do you want some?

-Oh no. 

She picked up her weave with both hands and let it fall over her shoulders as if it were her real hair. It was a good weave.  She had already told me that when it came to hair she didn't mind having to pay. She really was beautiful.  In the moonlight her skin looked burnished and her cheekbones were high and gold.  Like so many women on this island I could see Africa and Europe in her features.

-Me, I had the nicest salad; tomatoes - I just love, lettuce from the woman on the road - not the supermarket, cucumber...  

I let her go on.  This was Gretchen speaking.  I have never begun a sentence with 'me' in my adult life.  I don't know why.  I just wouldn't phrase anything that way.  I wouId say same here instead of me too.  It was something about language being inclusive.

She was summarising now.

-...anyway it's too late to eat, Jeannie.  Good night.

I finished my too-late-to-eat dinner and began to examine the work ahead.  Nasreen's recommended painter Danny Boy was arriving at 8 am tomorrow.  Danny Boy - which seemed to be what everybody called him - was from Guyana and Nas assured me he was good.  I was asking for a quote up front of course but I had already decided to use him.  I am a great believer in whatever comes our way.  I rather hoped he would begin painting tomorrow also.  

Mariette, my landlady, had already said that around 11 am tomorrow she would come down.  This would be to vet Danny Boy and give back a portion of my deposit which I was using to fund the work. Whether this was wise or foolish I didn't know.  I couldn't stand the apartment in its present state and my landlady seemed to think that dirty tobacco as a wall colour was no problem.

What I was after was a brillantine, surgical white.  Just thinking about it made me happy.

Danny Boy arrived at 8 am and he appeared to have a car full of people waiting.  

-My girlfriend brought me here in her car.  She's on her way to work.  Otherwise I would have to take the bus.  If I do the work for you she will drop me off every morning.

It was interesting to me the way so few men here seemed to have a car.  I've never had a car but I think in that way I am unusual.  All the countries I've lived in the first thing a guy does when he gets any money is to buy a set of wheels - even if he has to live in it.  There was something de-masculating about the girlfriend dropping him and also odd in the way that she wouldn't come in.

-Are you sure she and her friends don't want to come inside?

-No, they have their phones.

So be it.  I showed Danny Boy the walls and because my landlady wasn't due downstairs yet I could be frank.

-I rented this place unseen and I think its a mess.  What do you think?

Danny was examining the walls with what I hoped was professional curiosity.

-It will look better white.

-Thank you.

I liked him already.  Just having that much agreement made me feel vindicated.

Mariette couldn't see the forest for the trees - she thought tobacco was something bright - and Gretchen got a far away look in her eye when I tried to get her to weigh-in around changing the colour.  Mariette was her landlady also.  I had said to Gretchen that it wasn't her fault - a moot point really as she had brokered the flat - but that the state of the place was not okay.

-Me, I don't want to get involved.

Gretchen had made this pronouncement during one of our afternoon chats.  She was wearing something ivory that floated.  I watched her walk away from my screen door and thought she really does have the most incredible legs.  Gretchen was supposed to be my friend but for me the drawbridge was long closed.

However, if I could facelift this place and so feel bright and positive when I was home and at work, then my Barbados turnaround would be underway and this whole experience would fast track to something better.

I made notes as Danny spoke and at the end of his survey this is what we had:

• 1024 sq feet of surface that needs coverage, an estimate of 4 gallons for 2 coats
• Harris emulsion pearl white at $34.47 a gallon = $137.88
• 5 days at $100.  All prices in Bajan.

It was a comprehensive estimate, to my ears it sounded good.  The cost was definitely going to wipe out half my deposit.  I had a moment of unease as I was still looking for more yoga work but for me my environment has always been paramount.  On numerous occasions this has made my life tough but I am willing to problem solve and Danny Boy was going to help me.

We agreed that he would arrive tomorrow and begin to prepare.  We concurred on the importance of washing walls before you paint and already I was feeling better.  Danny Boy was a friend of Nasreen's and we also agreed that Nasreen was good.  I gave him a hug and a kiss and released him to his texting entourage in the car.  

Nobody phones from mobiles here.  I once used up $50 BDS of credit in 10 minutes through making a local call.  The fact that the party in the car showed no interest in meeting me still seemed a bit strange but I liked Danny Boy and went to bed that night pacified.