Chapter 5

When he finally saw her walk through the front door, he was struck by one thing, the fact that every time he’d seen her he found her more attractive. He wasn’t sure if this was some sort of trick the mind plays on a person, or if he’d just missed something the first two times. He decided it was of no matter. All he knew was, in his eyes she was striking, he didn’t care what anybody else saw. He was actually beginning to feel slightly intimidated by her.

She looked around and when she saw him, she smiled and waved. He raised his hand in acknowledgement and walked over.

“So, you’ve decided on the red Reliant, then?”

“Yeah, it’s kind of what I had in mind.”

“OK, then, it’s been all cleaned up and prepped. Let’s go out and have another quick look before we go any farther. Just to make sure you haven’t changed your mind, sometimes things look different the second time you see them.”

She had no way of knowing he was talking about more than just cars. He would have been embarrassed if she had. They walked out to the lot and he led her over to the vehicle.

“Well, there it is, still like it?”

“Yes, I do,” she walked around the car, pausing to look at the sticker in the window. “That’s the price?”

“No, that’s the starting point. If you want to pay that, fine; if not, we haggle. Now, about the GS, were you looking for a trade in, do you have a buyer, or are you going to keep it?”

“Well I wanted to trade it in.”

“Swell, now we haggle over the trade in value,” he pulled a card and ink pen out of his pocket and wrote down a number on the back.

“This,” he said, handing it to her, “is what you’ve bargained me down to.”

She took the card and looked at it, then looked at him curiously, then back at the card.

“This is an interesting sales technique you have. Is this on the up and up? I mean, this is a much better price.”

“Yes it’s legit, I mean there’s still the taxes and transfer fees and all, but this is the ‘family rate’, the cut to the bone bottom line. You’re a neighbor; I don’t want you staring daggers at me every morning in the parking lot because you think I screwed you over.”

“OK ... that explains that. I think I want the car. So, I guess you’ve made a sale.”

“Now, what happens next is this, I’m going to tell you I have to talk to the sales manager to get this approved. I’ll walk in into his office and tell him that I’ve sold the Reliant, but God damn, the woman knows what she’s looking for and hard balled me. I had to let it go for the bottom line. Then we’ll talk about the weather for a few minutes, and then I’ll come out and tell you he gave me a load of grief, but gave in at the end. They make a profit, you get a deal, and my conscience is clear. Everybody is happy. How’s that sound?”

“Fine by me,” she still had a skeptical tone.

“Well, come on inside, have a seat and wait while I go into my act. I’ll be back shortly.” They started towards the building when he stopped. “Oh, one more thing, are you paying cash or financing?”

“Financing, why?”

“We arrange financing, we go through Central City Bank. Now, call your bank, the auto club, even a few other banks and see what kind of a rate they’ll give you. If you can get a better deal, call me. I’ll call City Central, sometimes they’ll beat a better offer for our customers. That’s another thing we don’t talk about, but it can bring your monthly payments down.”

“Ah, thanks, but do you do this for everybody? I mean, it seems to me like a strange way to do business.”

“Like I told you this the family and neighbor treatment, but yeah, I do try to give every customer a decent break. With normal customers, I actually go through the bargaining process, but I’m easy to haggle with. I don’t own these cars, I sell them for other people. As long as they make a profit and the customer is satisfied, I feel I’ve done my job.”

“I’ve always been led to believe you shouldn’t trust used car salesmen, was I wrong?”

“No, you shouldn’t. We’re not all inherently dishonest, but the nature of the job, the way we’re evaluated, it all kind of pushes you in that direction. I’ve done my share of conniving in the past to boost my sales. The thing is, I’m kind of tired of doing it that way, but you didn’t hear that from me.”

Connie merely nodded. He took her to his office and told her to have a seat, he’d be right back. Then he went up to Donnie Herring’s office for a couple of minutes, listening to Donnie’s opinion of how the Yankees were going to do in the upcoming season. Then he went back down to his office.

“OK, Connie, everything is approved, we’re all set to go. Come on up with me, Donna will need some information from you for the paperwork, and once you get the financing arraigned, the car is yours.” He led her up the stairs to Donna’s cubical.

“Donna, this is Connie Friess. She’s buying the red Reliant, take good care of her for me will you? She’s a neighbor of mine.”

“Of course I will.”

She looked at Connie and then at him with a knowing type of smile. Mike wondered if he was that obvious, he looked at Connie but she didn’t seem to be paying any more attention to him. A feeling of disappointment came over him. Perhaps he hadn’t been obvious enough. He left the cubical and went back downstairs, lost in his own thoughts.

Something occurred to him, this was the third time he’d met her, and each time he saw her in a different light. The first time he’d seen a drabness about her that didn’t seem to really exist. The second time he saw a beauty that was probably exaggerated. Now, the third time, he saw her as she was, faults and attributes, and still found her appealing. He also realized that he was just looking at her outward appearance. He knew little of her personality or her inner make up. He was hoping for an opportunity to find out about it.

Then, he saw Connie walking down the stairs. She looked over at him and waved as she headed for the door.

“I’ll see you,” she called out.

He waved back and smiled in acknowledgement. Yes, he thought to himself, I hope you will see me again; I hope you’re as nice as you seem, I hope you’re not involved with someone, I hope you find me attractive. He couldn’t help but wonder if he was doing too much hoping. Maybe he was making too much out of her, just letting his imagination run wild, dreaming up some sort of potential non-existent romance. He hoped not, adding one more hope to the list. Only time would tell.

Two days later he got a call from her, she had gotten a better deal from the auto club.

“OK,” he told her, “now if you want to give me an hour or two, I’ll have the office contact Central City and see what they’re willing to do. They usually top any realistic offer, not by much, but over the course of the loan it can add up. Do you want me to try, or are you going to stick with the auto club?”

“I’m off today, so I can wait. Like you said, even a few dollars helps. Go ahead, call Central City, I’d really appreciate it. Oh, and Mike, one more thing.”

“Yes, what’s that?”

“You’re being a big help, I just want you to know I’m grateful, thanks.”

“Think nothing of it, glad to help.” When he hung up, he felt good.

About an hour later Donna informed him the bank had agreed to lower the rate. It was only a small saving, it was better than nothing. He called Connie and let her know, telling her she could come by anytime, sign a few more papers, and the car was hers. She agreed to drop by in the morning.

The following morning, Mike spent more time in the shower than usual. When he finished shaving, he inspected his face to be sure he’d done a good job of it and combed his hair obsessively. He was like a kid on his first date, desperate to make a good impression on her. He realized that there was a possibility that this could be the last time they would be in close contact. He was sure he would see her occasionally coming and going from the apartment complex, but this might be their last face to face meeting.

When he got into his car to go to Herring’s, he drove through the parking lot slowing down to look at her car, half expecting to see her getting into it, but it sat there empty. He knew it didn’t really matter, but still he’d hoped to see her. In his mind he cursed himself for being so silly. He was selling the woman a car, and he was acting like it was a love affair. He shook his head and drove to work.

It was approximately two hours later when Connie arrived at Herring’s. Seeing him, she broke into a smile and came over.

“Hi Mike, here I am, ready to finalize the deal.”

“Come on back to my office, the paperwork is all ready, all you have to do is sign a few more things and the car is yours.”

“Oh, one thing,” she said after sitting down, “I never did ask about any guarantees or warranties. It seems like something I should know about, just in case.”

“Of course, company policy on used cars is one year on the engine and drive train, on a car this old, two months unconditional on everything else. But, being a neighbor, you know my number so give me a call if you have any troubles and I’ll take care of it if I can.”

“I must say, I’m getting a lot of benefits out of being a neighbor.”

“Hey, don’t look a gift horse in the mouth. You deserve a break every now and then.”

“You’re right,” she smiled, “I’m just not used to it.”

Mike merely smiled and nodded as he placed x’s on the lines she had to sign and passed them over to her. Inside, he wondered just what she meant by not being used to it. She didn’t seem to be a troubled woman, but then he really knew nothing about her or her life. When she finished with the paperwork, he called maintenance and asked them to send someone out to switch her plates to the Reliant. Then he handed her the keys.

“Once they let us know the plates have been changed, you’ll be ready to go and enjoy your car. Like I said any problems, let me know, you have my number, you know where I live, just come and bang on the door if you want; apartment A120.”

“Ah, that sounds like one of our glorious studio apartments. I’m in one too,” she shook her head cynically, “lovely aren’t they?”

“They do leave something to be desired, but they meet my needs.”

“That number is first floor, mine is on the second of building B, at least I have real windows,” she laughed, “not that there’s much to see.”

“Good point,” he was interrupted by a phone call. He answered it, acknowledged the caller and hung up. “Your car is out in front, ready to go.”

“Oh, good,” she gathered up the keys and her copies of the paperwork, then extended her hand. “It’s been a pleasure doing business with you.”

“The pleasure’s been all mine,” he said as he shook her hand.

There was a feeling of desperation in his mind as he watched her get up out of the chair to leave. He wasn’t sure what he’d expected to happen, but it seemed to him she was leaving just like any other customer. He didn’t want it to end this way, with her just walking out the door, it was something that would haunt him for months.

He realized he’d become obsessed with her, it was like one of those juvenile crushes teen-agers have, where you become fascinated with some girl in your math class who you hardly know and who, in turn, doesn’t know you exist. He remembered the only cure for it was to get to know the girl. It usually turned out badly, but that generally ended the obsession. Then she inadvertently gave him his opportunity.

“Well, you’ve been so nice through all this, perhaps someday I can repay the favor.”

“Drinks?” he blurted out hastily.

Connie stopped and looked at him, her head tipped slightly to one side, her mouth faintly opened. The look on her face seemed to reflect and mix of concern and bewilderment. It seemed to Mike that he’d overplayed his hand. He quickly tried to explain.

“Look, I don’t know what your situation is, other than you’re divorced. Maybe you’re going with someone or something like that, and that’s OK. I just thought if you’re not, maybe we could have a few drinks together, I’d like to get to know you, you know, like as a friend. That’s all. If you don’t want to, that’s OK too. I’d still like to be your friend.”

“No, I mean yes, I just ... you just caught me by surprise, I didn’t expect this, but yes, I’d like to, I do date, but not too often and there’s no one in particular, so that’s not a problem. Damn it, now I’m rambling.” She paused and took a deep breath before continuing, “Let’s start over; you asked me out, I accept, I think it’s a good idea.”

“Great, but I don’t want you to think that I expect this just because I sold you a car. You’ll get the same treatment the next time even if you don’t want go out. One has nothing to do with the other. It’s just that I’ve been living in that complex for almost four months, and you’re the first person there I’ve had any contact with. Coincidentally, you also seem like somebody I’d like to know better, that’s all. No strings attached, I want you to understand that. Like I said, I just want to get to know you a little and over dinner is as good a way as any.”

“I agree. Mostly I work days, but my schedule changes week to week, so let me know in advance and we can arrange things. You’ve got my number, call me anytime, but I have to ask one thing.”

“What’s that?” he asked tentatively.

“Please, if you say you’re going to call, call. Even if you change your mind, let me know, don’t leave me hanging.”