Passionate Abrasions

Having been forced into early retirement by his university, psychologist Harold Hake chances upon with the delightful Ms Julia Rivers in the supermarket, whilst buying wine, with the intention of drowning his sorrows that afternoon. Julia takes him back to her house, to keep him company so that he does not get too depressed. Once bottles are opened, one thing leads to another and a highly passionate interlude takes place. Later, back home, Harold is changing his shirt prior to meeting up with his friend Trevor in the pub. Unfortunately, Harold’s wife Veronica, searching for a lost pair of socks, pops into the bedroom precisely at this moment. She notices the scratches on Harold’s back. This leads to a very nasty altercation, the outcome of which involves Harold being physically kicked out of the house. Thus starts the first day of Harold’s new life. The story traces his attempts to become a jobbing psychologist, picking up work wherever possible. Broke and homeless, he begs Julia to gives him a roof over his head. This she agrees to do, but in lieu of rent she makes him pay for his keep by doing the cooking and cleaning. In fact, he becomes her general factotum. Their sexual relationship continues to blossom within the framework of their somewhat asymmetric roles. Oh, yes, you will meet some of Harold’s lovely friends, too, in the course of this journey.