The Spirit of Giving: A Caskett Christmas Story
Chapter 4 - A Friend In Need
Kate comes out of the Student Credit Union at NYU where she had spoken to a loan officer. They could qualify for a signature loan, but at the highest amount they could borrow, they were still about a thousand dollars short of covering her father's co-pay for his treatment. The monthly for the loan was a little higher than they had wanted, but they would eliminate other monthly non-essential spending items to be able to keep in their budget. The problem was covering the thousand dollars they were short. Kate could cover about 40% of that with the money she had saved for Rick's Christmas gift. If she did so, Rick would not get the laptop computer she wanted to gift him this Christmas. She would talk to Rick on how they could make up the difference. With that thought, Kate hurries to her next class.
When she enters the classroom, she sees her best friend Lanie already at her desk.
"Well hello to you Mrs. Castle, you are normally here before me. You are late so you must have been doing chores before coming to class?", Lanie says.
"I was at the student credit union looking into getting a signature loan."
"For tuition? I didn't realize you needed the money as you have an education account that you and Rick deposit to for paying tuition,"
Kate commences to tell Lanie of their latest financial challenge.
"Kate, I can help out, I have extra money after paying for my tuition and expenses."
"I can't do that Lanie, you may need that money."
"Kate, it's discretionary funds for me and I don't need to worry about my expenses as my Medical Doctor father is footing the bill. I would probably just spend it on something frivolous, like designer shoes. I'd rather give it to you to help your father, he is such a sweet man. Besides consider it as my Christmas gift to you this year."
Lanie pulls out a Merry Christmas Money envelope and then puts cash in it.
"Merry Christmas", she says to Kate as she hands Kate the envelop."
"I can't take it Lanie."
"You would reject my Christmas gift to you, what kind of a BFF are you?"
Kate sees that Lanie is serious and knows Lanie means well. Rather than argue and make a scene in class, Kate accepts the gift.
"Thank you, Lanie, but I have no gift for you."
"Kate, I already have my Christmas gift. …your continued friendship. Worth more to me than any store-bought gift you could give me."
Kate accepts Lanie's gift just as their professor enters the class room then Kate puts her gift away in her binder. The look of happiness on Lanie's face tells Kate all she needs to know about her best friend's sincerity concerning their friendship.
After class she once again thanks Lanie for her 'gift', "Lanie thanks for the cash gift, you really did not need to do it?"
"Yes, I did, that's what friends are for. Helping out when the other needs it. I know that you would do the same for me, if the situation were turned around. Just get your father well and it will be a double gift for me."
That Night at Dinner
Kate gets home and finds that Rick is already there. He has prepared a nice dinner tonight of taco's, Spanish rice, and beans. He has made sure to cut a lot of lettuce into strings and made his home made salsa, all for garnishing the taco's. He also pulls out the packet of cheese he had grated.
"I'm home", Kate announces as she walks thru the door of their studio.
"Good, you're finally home, let's do dinner".
Kate goes to the bathroom to change. In a studio, the bathroom does double duty serving also as a change room for them. It was the only other room they had aside from the studio itself. They sit down for dinner, which is one of Kate's favorites, she always likes Mexican.
"So how was your day Kate?"
She tells Rick about the loan information and that they are thousand short for her dad's co-pay. She does not tell him about Lanie's gift, she keeps it to herself for the moment. She would eventually tell him about it.
Rick does not want to reveal he has some money saved for her Christmas gift. He is still hoping he can get her that gift. Kate, on the other hand, is in a similar situation. She has money saved for Rick's lap top, but is also hoping they do not need to use it.
"What about our reserve emergency savings. Can we use that?", Rick asks.
"We can, but I really don't want to use it, it is our only emergency fund."
"Isn't this an emergency Kate?"
"It is, but we have options. I'd like to eliminate them first before we tap those funds?"
"How much of a dent will it put on our monthly budget if we get the loan?"
"I've looked at the budget and if we eliminate some of our discretionary spending, we can make it. I also plan on more tip money, and whatever I make extra, we can use for our mad money expenses."
"Mad Money? Is that what you are calling it? Will we still have something left for that?"
"You know what I mean, money we use for entertainment and the like that we really do not need for essentials? Anything extra after expenses I will put away, then if we do not use it in 3 months, we spend it on ourselves."
"Kate, I really do like treating us out for dinner at a good restaurant, or Friday Happy Hours, and similar such nights on the town. It not only provides us a break for our daily routine, but I also get to show off my gorgeous wife who when she dresses for a night out on the town, is usually the best-looking lady wherever it is we wind up."
"Really, cause last time we went out, I saw how jealous you got when those men hit on me."
"Kate, it was uncalled for. You clearly were wearing a wedding band and those men should have acknowledged that you were unavailable".
'Like all those women who come around teasing and flirting with you?"
"Kate, you have the right to call them on it. I always wear my wedding ring and it is clearly visible on my hand. I am spoken for."
"Well, it is cute when you get jealous like that?"
"Well, the feeling is mutual", Rick responds as he gets into Kate's personal place and gives her a kiss.
When they finish the kiss, Kate asks, "So what was that for?"
"Just marking my territory Kate Beckett Castle."
"No need stud, you're the only man I have ever wanted!"
"I love you Kate Castle."
"Love you more Rick Castle."
"So how are going to cover our thousand-dollar short fall?", Kate asks her husband.
"Let's sleep on it since we still have time before we have to pay out for the co-pay", Rick responds.
"You're just trying to get me in bed, aren't you?"
"That thought did cross my mind as it seems we need some inspiration here. And what better way than …", Rick leaves the end of his sentence unspoken.
Kate starts removing the cushions from their sofa bead, "Then we better get our bed ready!"
Rick doesn't need to be told a second time, he has already cleared the other cushions and is pulling on the cord to release and pull the bed frame to their sofa bed.
It seems this was their routine for coming up with solutions to their problems. It always came after a night of 'inspiration'. That night was particularly inspirational.
The Next Day
They wake up the next morning after a night filled with love making and much passion. They are slow to get out of bed, but today is their late day where they did not need to be anywhere this early in the morning. Kate had her usual afternoon-to-early evening shift before heading to a night class. Rick was working later that day and not need to be in till around noon.
"So, any thought on our co-pay challenge?", ask Rick.
"Why don't we just agree to each come up with half and then pay the co-pay as our Christmas gift to Dad."
Sounds like a plan, but should you come up with a money scheme I could use, please share. I am still trying to rack my brain for a solution here."
"Can do, let me start the coffee and toast so we can begin our day."
After Breakfast, Rick headed out to the NYU Library. He wanted to get a computer and do some writing as well as digitize his last handwritten chapter. He also wanted to do some on line searching on the library computer to find sources for cash that otherwise were not known to him or Kate. He had learned early on that internet research was a good tool, better than the old fashion way of looking it up in a book.
'Ah the marvels of technology!', was Rick's thought on the matter.
After waiting a while for an available computer, Rick realized that what Kate had said about getting a laptop computer made sense. It would benefit both of them and they could do more work at home. But the costs for a laptop was high and they could get along for the time being using the library computer, like he was doing now. Rick also had the option of using his office computer, but he did so with caution, as he was on the job. So really, they could use the money for a laptop elsewhere. Besides, they still needed a way of coming up with his half of the thousand-dollar shortfall for his father-in-law's copayment. Rick could continue to use his expensive gift pen from his mom to handwrite his chapters. He had been doing that for years. Still, a laptop was a practical gift.
When Rick left, Kate did some cleanup of their studio apartment, and then did some laundry. The brownstone had a washer and dryer in a separate basement laundry room next to the studio that they shared with their tenants. The room was closed at all times and accessed by a key that Kate and their renter had on them. It was another convenience they had, rather than going to the local laundromat. It had been a feature advertised when they rented out the brownstone. As it turned out, that was the final benefit that convinced their current renter to sign a rental lease for the brownstone.
After finishing her chores, Kate headed to her shift at the restaurant. As she made the trip to work, Kate passed a pawnshop. Nothing unusual there, she passed that shop every day. Today however, she had a thought, and decided to go in and asked about a pawnshop loan. She had no idea how pawnshops worked so having some time before work, she went into the shop and talked to the clerk.
It seems pawnshops could provide a loan using a high value item as collateral. This particular shop had posted some info about that on the counter behind the which sat the shop clerk. The info posted was general info followed by all NYC Pawnshops. Loans could be secured using anything of high value. The loans could be for 25% to 60% of the collateral value. The loans needed to be paid off in full with interest in four months or the collateral than became the shops property available for resale.
"How are the value of the collateral determined?", ask Kate of the Clerk.
"The shop can provide an appraisal if you bring it in or, a separate bonafide appraisal from a reputable firm, can be provide in lieu of our shop's appraisal."
"I see", replied Kate, "and what is the interest on the loan."
"That is negotiable, but normally interest can go as high as 20% of the appraised value. Interest is free the first month so if you pay off the loan by then, there is no interest. After that first month, interest starts to accrue."
"Can you go beyond a four-month loan", Kate queries.
"Again ma'am, that is negotiable."
"Thank you then for the info."
"Not at all, thank you for coming in."
Kate exits the Pawn Shop and heads to her class.