Going single
The first time she came walking across the street, I pegged her for a whiner. Her shoulder drooped like she was carrying a goodly portion of the world's woes in a backpack, and from her expression, I could tell right off she that she didn't think it was fair. I had news for her: the master is rising.
She came into the porch. "May I please use your phone?" "Long distance?" I said cautiously. "I need to call Mr. Giles. He was supposed to have the utilities turned in by today, but nothing's on. "
I took a closer look. She was at most in her early twenties, with blond hair and a lovely face. Her eyes were sizzling with frustration, but her smile was friendly. Smiling back, I said, "You brought the house over there?"
"I'm Buffy Summers. I signed the papers last week, and Mr. Giles promised to arrange for the utilities to be on when we got here. It's after nine o' clock .My son and I have been on the road for fourteen hours, and there's no way we can get by without water and electricity. I was just hoping that someone can still do something."
"I'm Angelus O'Conner, but you can call me Angel. You can bring your son inside and let me give him a glass of juice .or you can call Mr. Giles if you want, but you are welcome to camp here.How old is your boy?"
"Marcus's five. I guess it's too late to call Mr. Giles. He won't be able to do anything at this time of the night."
I wasn't sure what to make of her as she bought in a listless child, rolled out a sleeping bag for him in a corner, and kissed him goodnight. "So you bought the Sticklemann's house?" I ask her as we sat down at the coffee table. She took a sip of coffee and nodded. "It seemed smart, even though my ex can't remember to send his child-support payments. I never finished my degree, so I decided to move back here to take classes .I was going to rent an apartment, but Mr. Giles explained how I could buy a house and build up equity. After three or four years it'll take to graduate, I can sell the house and make a small profit. Marcus's used to having a yard."
"Do you have a job, Buffy?" "As a teacher's aide," she said with a shrug. "It's minimum wage, but the house payment's not too much than what I'd be paying in rent. Mr. Giles is financing the sale privately, since I probably couldn't have qualified for a loan. Even if I had,I'd have been charged closing costs of more than three thousand dollars. This way, I had to put down five percent, which leaves me enough to pay for the rental truck and utility deposits."
"It'll work out," I said soothingly, although I had my own doubts. I made her a bed on the sofa, then sat and gazed out my bedroom window at the Sticklemann place, wondering how much Giles had told this nice young woman.
Not nearly enough, I suspected.
The first time she came walking across the street, I pegged her for a whiner. Her shoulder drooped like she was carrying a goodly portion of the world's woes in a backpack, and from her expression, I could tell right off she that she didn't think it was fair. I had news for her: the master is rising.
She came into the porch. "May I please use your phone?" "Long distance?" I said cautiously. "I need to call Mr. Giles. He was supposed to have the utilities turned in by today, but nothing's on. "
I took a closer look. She was at most in her early twenties, with blond hair and a lovely face. Her eyes were sizzling with frustration, but her smile was friendly. Smiling back, I said, "You brought the house over there?"
"I'm Buffy Summers. I signed the papers last week, and Mr. Giles promised to arrange for the utilities to be on when we got here. It's after nine o' clock .My son and I have been on the road for fourteen hours, and there's no way we can get by without water and electricity. I was just hoping that someone can still do something."
"I'm Angelus O'Conner, but you can call me Angel. You can bring your son inside and let me give him a glass of juice .or you can call Mr. Giles if you want, but you are welcome to camp here.How old is your boy?"
"Marcus's five. I guess it's too late to call Mr. Giles. He won't be able to do anything at this time of the night."
I wasn't sure what to make of her as she bought in a listless child, rolled out a sleeping bag for him in a corner, and kissed him goodnight. "So you bought the Sticklemann's house?" I ask her as we sat down at the coffee table. She took a sip of coffee and nodded. "It seemed smart, even though my ex can't remember to send his child-support payments. I never finished my degree, so I decided to move back here to take classes .I was going to rent an apartment, but Mr. Giles explained how I could buy a house and build up equity. After three or four years it'll take to graduate, I can sell the house and make a small profit. Marcus's used to having a yard."
"Do you have a job, Buffy?" "As a teacher's aide," she said with a shrug. "It's minimum wage, but the house payment's not too much than what I'd be paying in rent. Mr. Giles is financing the sale privately, since I probably couldn't have qualified for a loan. Even if I had,I'd have been charged closing costs of more than three thousand dollars. This way, I had to put down five percent, which leaves me enough to pay for the rental truck and utility deposits."
"It'll work out," I said soothingly, although I had my own doubts. I made her a bed on the sofa, then sat and gazed out my bedroom window at the Sticklemann place, wondering how much Giles had told this nice young woman.
Not nearly enough, I suspected.