Moving On:
Chapter Three
Just one day out looking at
houses and I need new feet. They are sore to the core. Well, a glass of wine
and a good soaking in the tub will revitalize me.
I never thought of myself as
picky, but Wow! Those houses Onan last showed me made me crazy. I have to find
a suitable, no, scratch that, a wonderful last home to live in, a forever home.
I don’t plan on going through this house-hunting thing again. Ever!
Onan
I didn’t hear my alarm
again and woke up a half hour late. I’ve got to be at the office to meet Ms.
James at 9:30.
How can I possibly grab a
shower and eat anything before getting onto the freeway and gambling that there
isn’t some pile up or impossible traffic crawling at a snails pace? OMG, the
cat threw up a huge fur ball on my bed again. That little hissing pile of fur.
Now, I have to change my bedding when I get home. Double crap. I have to quickly
cover the sofa before I leave. All that fur she deposits everywhere is a big
pain in the neck. I should have bought a bald cat.
I have $52.49 in the bank
and my commission check isn’t due for three days. My cubicle rent space at the
office is due and I’m all out of cat food, I need every penny for gasoline to
take Ms. James around. Crap, the rent is overdue by two days. I hate everybody
and everything.
I have to ask for a
draw. At least I’ll try. Today I’ll wear my black suit. I’ve got so
much going wrong, I feel like an undertaker, anyway. My life feels dead in its
tracks.
Turtle turds. That white car cut me off, making me miss my
turn off. Can anything else go wrong today?
Ms. James
I’m going to miss my
beautiful beveled glass front door and the way the sunshine sprinkles patterns
of colors across the room.
Well, I’m ready to meet up with
Onan. What a funny guy. He fidgets and pokes around in each house looking at
God knows what. His smile seems orchestrated, and he hesitates before telling
me an interesting feature of the house we are walking through
Lucky me, I had an easy
drive. No traffic to slow me down. As I park and head into the Real Estate
Office I wonder what Ms. Lazybones is doing behind her secretary’s desk. Well, there she is reading a magazine, and
not even looking at me. Ugh. If she were my employee I’d take her outside and
smack her with a switch. Well, that would be assault and battery and wouldn’t
teach her how to do her job. I walk toward her. Plastering a smile on my face,
I intentionally say, “Good morning. I’m Ms. James; I have an appointment with
Onan Moreland. What is your name?” I’m thinking this is a pretty heavy question
for an airhead.
Looking up, slowly, the
secretary says, “Yeah, I’m Tiffany.” And she promptly lowers her head again,
back to her magazine. My God, she’s still chewing gum. Unbelievable.
I go sit down and wait for
Onan. He is late. I like people to be prompt.
Onan
Rushing in the back door I
head for my cubicle, grab a pen and scribble a note to my broker requesting a
draw on my commission check. I notice
Ms. James sitting in the waiting area already. I drop my note on the boss’s
daughter’s desk. “Please give this to your dad.” She is an awful secretary and barely looks up
at me, acknowledging with a nod of her head.
Her dad never trained her and she can’t type more than three actual words
a minute on the computer but sure can text those abbreviations and symbols at
lightening speed on her phone. “Well, here goes.”
“Good morning, Ms.
James. The traffic getting here was a
nightmare. I apologize for being a bit late. I have two lovely properties to
show you today since you said we had to rush. Shall we begin?” I had her the
papers with information on each house.
“Good morning to you as
well, Onan. I didn’t have to wait too long. Luckily traffic wasn’t a problem
for me. I planned smarter today. I’m wearing
heavy duty walking shoes. So, where are we off to?”
“I’m taking you first to a
lovely area in West Seattle. I chose a more modern condo for you to check out.
I know the builder, and he has innovative ideas using the lay of the land, size
and direction of the windows to maximize view and light yet doesn’t overprice
his complexes.”
Something got him going,
He is chatty. In a few miles we drive over the bridge toward West Seattle. “Onan, this is further away from the city. It could possibly work out, I won’t complain
yet, but I sure won’t be coming into the city often with this traffic if I
lived here. Have you timed the drive?”
I glance at Ms. James.
“No, I honestly haven’t. I’m fond of this neighborhood, that’s why I thought of
showing this condo to you. This neighborhood has a small town feel yet offers a
multitude of benefits.
“OK, let’s give it a look-see.”
I notice Onan smiling ear to ear as we drive around the edge of the water and
up a hill.
“Notice all the old artsy
fun spun homes. Many of which have been around since the 1940’s. They have been
kept up, as you can see. There are very few newer homes built in these few
blocks. The planning commission has strived to preserve the historical
relevance of this area and discourage tearing down and replacing unless
absolutely necessary. I remember coming here when I was a kid.”
One more right turn and we
are in a newer development with a view to die for. I stare in awe at the water.
“I never thought about living anyplace with a view, Onan. This is spectacular.
You seem happy being here. Did you live around here?”
“My aunt did. I guess I remember good times when I was
young. I think you will be pleased with the condo, three bedrooms, two and
three quarter baths, Views and close walk to the beach. You have a garage,
which is rare around here. All this in 1,270 sq. ft. and the main floor deck is
large enough to entertain.”
Onan opens the front door
and does another one of his grand gestures with arm extended as if showing me
the Taj Mahal. We walk into a long narrow space. “Nice open concept, Onan.
Humm. Actually the Sound view from the kitchen, dining and living room, is
unobstructed. This is impressive.”
“What are the Home Owner dues,
Onan?”
“All the relevant details
are on the paper I handed you. I don’t remember off the top of my head. No worries about upkeep, lawns, leaky roofs.
That disappears with an HOA. Besides this place is in great shape. It was built
only six years ago.” He is grinning at
me as though he found the Hope Diamond.
I climb the flight of stairs
to the bedrooms. “Jack and Jill baths are between two bedrooms and a laundry closet
is tucked in the hallway. There is ample closet and storage space too.”
He walks across the Master
Bedroom and opens the slider to show me the deck and view. “You’ll like having
coffee out here every day.” Onan says, as though he longs for that morning
coffee right here, himself.
The large master suite has
a view of glistening water with lazy sailboats tacking along the waves and
breeze. I’m beginning to like this. There is a walk-in closet and modern en
suite. “OK Onan, what is the asking price?”
“You can see by the specs
I gave you that this is a bit over your price range, but it offers much more
than what was on your wish list.”
“Hey, you’re sneaky. You
sideswipe me with this tempting place. How long has it been on the market,
Onan?”
“Just over 30 days.” He is
grinning again. “It’s a beaut.”
“I see. Well, they would be ready for an offer less
than asking price. I have to consider the stairs. I’m not getting any younger.
I’m not crazy about having HOA dues, either. I’ll keep this one in mind, though,
Onan. Let’s keep looking for now.”
“O.K. Let’s head over to Ballard.”
I thought for sure she’d buy this place, Rats!
“ I nod.” As we walk to the car I can hear
fighting between a man and woman near us. It is awful. Well, Living this close
to neighbors has drawbacks, as to the dues and stairs. I’ve lost interest here,
even with the lovely view. It’s not worth the lack of privacy.
We drive over the Ballard bridge,
then onto Shilshole Ave. “Oh, Onan, I remember the locks and fish ladder. I
still love it here.”
“I was hoping you would.
It is always peaceful.“
We pass the locks. “ As a little kid I’d watch
all the boats position themselves into the locks like a jig saw puzzle, the
water raises to be level with Lake Washington or drops to get to Puget Sound. It still seems magical.”
“I didn’t go there until I
was 13, with my class. At that age it didn’t grab me because I wasn’t paying
attention. I found it thrilling later on when I was on a first date with what
was then the girl of my dreams. I
remember it well.” Onan cuts up a street that has cute, last century homes and
I notice the lovely views. He stops in
front of a one-story rambler. Some brick in front and painted a garish yellow with
orange trim.
“Was the owner colorblind,
a druggie or did he get a bunch of paint free? Ugly is an understatement here,
Onan.
We walk up to the front
door, “I don’t know, but at least it’s just old paint. That’s an easy fix. It
needs an exterior color becoming to the architecture. I think beige with deep forest
green accent would look lovely. Most of the interior has been remodeled. Come
on in.”
“You are right on, Onan. Beige
with the right green accent would make the place pop. I’m ready to see the
inside.” We enter a large front room with huge bay windows facing the sound. I see
Shilshole Marina, full to weekday capacity. We are in a neighborhood that has
restaurants, tackle shops and nautical oriented businesses spreading out all
along the main street. “Onan, this location is lovely. The Burke Gilman trail
is so handy I could bike ride every day, or walk as the mood strikes. The view
is amazing. The famous Ray’s Boathouse is very close by. I could be here
forever.”
“So could I.” I love the
way the masts sway gracefully in their slips. It’s like musical rhythm.
Onan is daydreaming
looking at the view. I turn and notice an inviting patio off the south end of the
living room through a set of French doors. It is a picturesque relaxing,
private space with flowers and vines that is enchanting. “I can hear the
seagulls. I love their cries.”
The kitchen has been
remodeled with a sink in the island facing the view. The appliances are new. There is a wood-burning
fireplace in the living room. The bedrooms and two bathrooms are pretty
standard but the master has a walk-in closet. Usually these homes have tiny
closets as though people years ago didn’t have a change of clothes.
“This home is a steal of a
deal, Ms. James. The bathrooms could easily
be updated, don’t you think? The closets for the other two bedrooms could be
enlarged with little expense and time, too. The owner had to move with his job
and left the remodeling incomplete. It still needs repairs on the deck cover
and the yard is a mess. All that is cosmetic work. This is a desirable area and will sell fast.
It has great bones” OMG, I need this sale today.
Onan is fidgety, eyes
darting around the room. “I agree. The interest rate has gone up and that takes
a lot of buyers out of the picture.”
“It is having an effect on
selling.” Onan just looks at me like a puppy being reprimanded for chewing up
daddy’s shoe.
“That could work for me. I
like what I see here and the unfinished projects are not that hard to finish
nor are they too expensive. Well, I’m going to think on this one. I like it. It
was a good choice, but I’m not going to make any offers on anything until I see
the house that was advertised, the one I called about seeing. You remember the
green one with the lovely front yard?”
While we have been inside it has begun to pour. The sky is dark grey and
rain is pounding on the cement outside creating puddles of water.
“Please excuse me for a
minute, Ms. James. I have to call and be sure I can show the house now.” If I
can’t get her to buy this place, her dream of having a view disappears like the
setting sun along with my commission. I cross the room talking to the listing
agent.
I watch Onan walk across
the room. His shoulders are drooping and his head is bowed. Wow, that messed
him up.
“O.K., it’s all set. We’ll
head there now.” We make a run for the car and I open the dripping passenger
door handle, getting soaked.”
“I feel like a long haired
dog that went through a car wash.” Onan is dripping wet too. Now I can
appreciate his ugly plastic seat covers.
I am really anxious to see
the illusive green house. I wonder if it
is a bait and switch. Onan doesn’t give
me much hope by looking like he just ate a bowl of red ants.
Time’s running out, and I
need a house, now. Tick tock, tick tock.
To be continued