Monday, March 14, 1977
I knock on the door of a run-down little dump on the scruffy edge of Redwood City. I drove forty-five minutes to get here. She sounded dotty on the phone.
"Who are you?" she asks through the screen. An older woman, unkempt. A bit of drool at the corner of her lips.
I introduce myself. Then I say, "You wanted to replace your kitchen counter."
"Did I?"
"On the phone. You called me. You told me to come at nine o'clock, and it's nine o'clock."
"I said that? Nine o'clock in the morning? So you're a carpenter?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Do you cheat?"
"Cheat what?"
"I know all about that." She spits on the screen, accidentally (perhaps). "My husband was a carpenter before he left and believe me, I know. He wanted a younger redhead, but he ended up with a woman as old as I am, so I guess it’s colder than it looks out there."
"Would you like me to come in and take a look at the kitchen counter?"
"Not today." She thinks a moment, chewing her lips. "Not your fault."
"Good day, ma'am."
As I'm walking back to my truck, I hear a door slam.
I knock on the door of a run-down little dump on the scruffy edge of Redwood City. I drove forty-five minutes to get here. She sounded dotty on the phone.
"Who are you?" she asks through the screen. An older woman, unkempt. A bit of drool at the corner of her lips.
I introduce myself. Then I say, "You wanted to replace your kitchen counter."
"Did I?"
"On the phone. You called me. You told me to come at nine o'clock, and it's nine o'clock."
"I said that? Nine o'clock in the morning? So you're a carpenter?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Do you cheat?"
"Cheat what?"
"I know all about that." She spits on the screen, accidentally (perhaps). "My husband was a carpenter before he left and believe me, I know. He wanted a younger redhead, but he ended up with a woman as old as I am, so I guess it’s colder than it looks out there."
"Would you like me to come in and take a look at the kitchen counter?"
"Not today." She thinks a moment, chewing her lips. "Not your fault."
"Good day, ma'am."
As I'm walking back to my truck, I hear a door slam.
No comments:
Post a Comment