Chapter 9

“Depending on how long we take shopping and looking at a potential apartment, we might not get back to our place before WEST SIDE STORY rehearses tonight. Is that OK with you or do you want to go back now before we do anything?”

Carol replied by saying, “Who knows how long it may take to look at apartments? Do you have a list, or are we just going to cruise the neighborhoods?”

“Well, I have a list of specific places to look at, but if we come across a place not on the list we can check it out. We’ll go to the places on the list first, OK?”

“Sure, Rann – You know I love you, don’t you?”

“Absotively – Posilutely, C. First place on the list is on Calle Pinonero, about three miles from SFU.”

“Why so far from the University, Lover?”

“It’s also affordability, C – not just location.”

“Lo-ca-tion, Lo-ca-tion, Lo-ca-tion,” she said in a sing-song voice that actually made me hard.

“You know, I love you, too, C?”

“Absotively – Posilutely, Rann.”

We traveled to the first apartment. Since it was after hours, we figured we would only get to see it from the outside. As we pulled up to the address; however, we saw a person loading For Sale signs in the back of her El Camino. I pulled up behind her.

“Hello, are you the Realtor for the apartment at 110 Calle Pinonero?” I asked.

“Yes, but it’s not an apartment for rent. It’s a house for sale. Sorry, the MLS entry was all ... messed up. I’ve been getting students here all day. Are you looking exclusively for an apartment?”

“Well,” I said... “I was. But I wouldn’t mind looking at it, if you have the time?”

“The property is listed at $495,000, and honestly, you kids don’t look like you’re ready to buy someplace that big or expensive.”

“Appearances can be deceiving, Miss... ?”

“Jones, Johnna Jones. And you are?”

I responded, “Randall and Carol Knight. We’re newlyweds and we’ve been looking for a nice place to live for over four days, now. You say $495,000? If we like it, how about $200,000 down and we finance the rest?”

“I’m sorry Mr. Knight? I’ve been overwhelmed with students with eyes bigger than their Daddy’s bank accounts today. Would you and your wife Carol like to look at it right now. Again, I’m sorry I was so curt with you.”

“No problem, Johnna,” Carol said. “I have just been telling my hubby here, that where we live has to be just right.”

“Well then, let’s have a look,” Johnna said.

I could tell she had slipped into her ‘show and tell’ mode. It wouldn’t make a difference to me, so I let her go.

“Well, it’s 3 bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths, and it is 3,395 square feet on 1.09 acres. It’s a custom tri-level home, surrounded by nature.”

As we walked through the place, Carol’s eyes were all agog with all the trimmings that this beautiful home abounded in. She tugged at my shirt and mouthed, “Can you afford this?”

“That price, Johnna, is that a firm price or is there room to wiggle?”

With a smug smile, Johnna said, “There’s always room to wiggle, Randall.”

“I’ll have an offer together within 24 hours” I said, turning to Carol, “Is that all right with you, sweetheart?”

Turning back to Johnna I said, “I have a buddy who’s a Realtor, Chuck Baxter, who helps me make all my real estate decisions.”

“I completely understand – here’s my card. All my numbers and email are on it. I’ll expect your call in the morning?”

“Yes, thank you, Johnna. We’ll see ourselves out.” Johnna left the room.

Carol looked at me with her eyes squinting at me a little and said, “Rann, Chuck Baxter isn’t a Realtor. That’s the main character from the Broadway Musical PROMISES, PROMISES.”

“I know that ... and you know that, but Johnna Jones doesn’t know that, sweetie.”

We were on our way to do the clothes shopping, when Carol turned to me and said, “You certainly were ‘playing the part’ in front of Johnna. Do you have the money to buy that beautiful place we just looked at, or was it all an act?”

“Why, Carol – whatever do you mean? I’ve been living in that relatively inexpensive apartment for close to seven years, working and saving money to buy a home someday for my ‘significant other’ and me, and with the help of a friend, who is something of a stock market savant, my job at SFU and my savings, I have about $1,750,000 socked away, for just this kind of rainy day.”

“Did you just call me ... your ‘significant other?’ $1.75 million dollars? Really? Oh, shit – sorry, Rann—this could really happen, couldn’t it?”

“Nothing’s too good for my girl, with the potty mouth.”

We arrived next at The Santa Fe Place. There was only one place I wanted to take my girl ... Victoria’s Secret. Carol didn’t realize where specifically we were going to go shop. I’d just told her that I was going to take her to get some nice clothes.

We parked, and I took her by the hand and we started walking down the walkway that took you to all of the different stores. C’s eyes lit up like a kid at Christmas, as we passed by all of the other places. We passed a Bridal Boutique and Carol stopped and looked in the window and then looked at me and sighed. I pulled her along.

We also passed a place called Senor Murphy Candymaker and I am quite certain Carol’s started salivating. I told her maybe on the way back we’d stop there. Then we got to where I wanted her to shop, Victoria’s Secret.

She stopped and looked at the store sign and then looked at me and you should’ve seen the super-sized smile that broke out on her face.