Billy and Violet Coleman went to a lot of trouble for the VIP guest who was to stay with them on the north Belfast peaceline.
Their home was positively gleaming, a big fire was lit, and a special dinner was in the oven for shadow Northern Secretary, Quentin Davies.
They were even willing to give him the double bed in their house in Glenbryn Park in Ardoyne.
In a "trial run" Billy (76), slept on the floor and Violet on the sofa. They pronounced it comfortable and the bedroom was prepared for Mr Davies.
The Tory was on a mission to find out what life is really like in Belfast's sectarian hot-spots. As it happened, he spent the day, but not the night, with the couple.
He told The Irish Times a security report suggested staying over wouldn't be wise. He was worried for their safety, not his own, he said.
Billy and Violet showed him the collection of bricks, golf balls and ball bearings which have been thrown at their home from the nationalist Alliance Avenue. Many of their neighbours have moved out and their homes are now boarded up.
But the Colemans had stayed. "They are brave and gallant people," said Mr Davies.
They showed him photographs of their garden, before the bull-dozers moved in to build a 30ft-high corrugated iron "peace" wall which shuts out light from the back of the house.
"The back is all churned up mud, a no-man's land now. But there once was a beautiful garden with flowerbeds, plants and trees," Mr Davies said.
He pronounced his dinner of lentil soup and beef curry "absolutely delicious" and said Violet could "run the best restaurant in town".
He met local loyalists including some involved in the protest at Holy Cross girls' school which he had publicly opposed. He insisted he met no hostility, although there were "some very strong female personalities".
He is in the House of Commons today but will be spending tomorrow and Friday with a family on the nationalist side.
He stressed his trip was not like "visiting the zoo to look at strange animals". He was on the peace-line to "listen and learn".