New Brunswick — It’s the anniversary of the day retired parents Bob and Margaret Durell brought paint samples home from Kent Building Supplies with the plan of “freshening up” their spare bathroom walls.
“This is a big decision! This is something we’ll have to look at day in, day out — or at least when we have guests and have to use that washroom for a day or two — for years!” cried Marg. “But I’m feeling positive about it because we’re actually ahead of schedule, considering we’re down to the final five samples from the initial 15.”
“Yup, we’ve narrowed ‘er down to Iceberg, Ocean Air, Breath of Fresh Air, Beacon Grey or Bird’s Egg,” said Bob, holding out some barely distinguishable pale greyish-blue swatches by Benjamin Moore.
“We had aimed to pick by 2025 so we’re making record time. Any suggestions?”
The couple’s adult children have stopped by to make their case for just painting it any damn colour.
“I offered to do it myself some weekend if they’ll just choose a colour, or let me pick,” said their son Kenny, 38. “But Dad said I’d probably go wild and make it way too dark — by which he means two shades — and they’d regret it until their dying day. So I just try not to go in that area and avoid the conversations about it. I don’t want a repeat of the kitchen tile disaster of ’06,” he added with a shudder.
“I can’t tell the difference between these colours,” said the Durells’ daughter Alicia, 35. “They’re too subtle. Is it grey? Is it blue? Is it off-white? Why does it matter? Questions that’ll never be answered.
“At this point I’m afraid they will finally choose, and hate their choice, and we’ll never hear the end of it. Maybe the not picking is the point? That way they can’t regret it?”
Bob and Margaret plan to celebrate the anniversary by checking out more colour options at Canadian Tire, to make sure they didn’t miss any strong contenders.