Chapter 1

Looking back I felt I had noting to complain about. There had been good days, bad days, sad days, happy days and days I would rather forget. Oh, I almost forgot. There were some days that had elements of all these classifications. I’ll tell you about some of them, if I can remember. One thing I’ll not forget was my house. Well, that’s not everything, it was the house and a few other things that made it memorable. Not true, it was the girl,’Long Tall Sally’ as I like to think of her these days.(Her name was not Sally though)

I guess no place is perfect but I had fallen in love with this house; OK, so maybe a few negatives were overlooked, like the price; but hey, you gotta live somewhere. I also did not like where it was; too many neighbors, too close together and too many spiders, snakes and what not slithering about. I made some changes to the house, adding a large deck adjacent to the back and sides of the house, a wraparound deck. Snakes just love outdoor pools so I had cut back trees, shrubs and bushes near it too; clearing almost an acre, just in case they liked indoor ones too. That caused more of a stir in the ‘Association’ than I thought it had warranted.

Mine was the only house like it, a big ‘Texas Ranch’ smack dab in the middle of this mixed community. I say mixed because there were small vacation size tree-type homes mixed in with full size ones. Some were bigger than the one I bought but as I said, mine was the only one of its type here; we were no longer in Texas and we get snow in Virginia, thank you very much, another dislike of mine. I bought it to get away, actually until my divorce was done I wanted out of town. Always liked the Richmond area so I bought in to a Country Club type thing.

I’m a private person; not a recluse although some may call me that. I worked hard in making certain that thought crosses their mind though. So far I have been successful, no visitors or ‘Welcome Wagon’ were ringing the doorbell.

Isn’t there a saying that ‘all good things must come to an end’ or something like that. Well! When mine did, it ended up not as bad as you might think. For one, my wife, ex-wife rather, found another source of comfort other than me which took her off my back asking for more than she got for the divorce now that I had more money; gee too bad you gold digger. That was not the only thing that changed; another change occurred a little after I moved into my new house; although now, with her off my back. I now had little reason to leave Texas.

Oh, right I was telling you about one of those days, actually it was a might longer than a day but ‘anywho’, as I was saying; I loved that house. Did I tell you about the little critters down by the pond thing? NO! Well I thought they were prettier than a possum chasing after a... ; a ... Well. That was before someone told me they were baby snakes, poison type baby snakes sliding down that hill headed to the water.

Well, as I was telling you, I’ll tell you a story I was told when I was buying this place. This spread had a set of rooms that was a combination solarium, greenhouse and ‘Japanese sand garden’ all in it. This area had three more sections with sliding glass doors and on the far side another door that led to an enclosed salt water pool.

It was a big house for just me, 9,000 square feet not counting the indoor pool, sauna, hot tub and changing room plus the added wrap-around deck outside. The house sat on 12 acres with some being mostly flat land and the rest covered with dense trees, tall bushes, ferns and a stream running through it. (Probably more of them damn snakes too)

The doorbell rang, actually it was a chime; I had never heard it before today. I just ignored the music, if it was not ‘Dixie’ I was not bothering getting up. Again it sounded; persistent bugger it was. I got out of the pool, wrapped a towel around my waist and dripped across the floor to answer the damn door.

After a peek to see if it was the law or not, I opened the door and said “Yes, I already gave at the office”.

“Please excuse me I saw your note at the club room that you were looking for a helper. I’m so sorry that I have to come over but I, I, ... did not see any phone number or email address on your post.”

“I saw the receptionist at the club and she thought it might be ‘the new guy’ she said and gave me this address.

I got a look from her that seemed to beg me to say something to her. She was still standing outside but now was facing towards me, listening. The damn phone was now ringing. “Yeah, it was for me, I need some help around here, not used to what it takes yet. Stay right there and relax while I get the phone Hon, then we can continue on and see the rest of the house, even have a walk through the garden outside if you want, but watch out for them damn snakes.”

Her response of ‘Yes Sir!’ worried me a bit I was not that much older than her and I did not think my Father was standing behind me, in-fact I knew he was dead. When I came back to her I said, “It was some damn welcome truck or something like that. Just some damn busybody”.

I suspected we would have to do something about getting her to feel better about herself.

“Well get in, get in, I’m not cooling the whole damn street. What’s your name and when can you work?”

“During the summer almost any time. I get home from school by 3:30 or 4:00 pm depending. Oh, my name is Tara and my Mom and I live in one of those homes on stilts over on Elm Court. Here in the Country Club though.”

‘Wow, two whole sentences and she was not running away, yet’ I thought. She was a pretty thing. Tall, sort of thin with long, silvery hair down to her butt. She had not filled out yet but when she did was going to be a looker.

“Your Mama know you want a job?”

“Yes Sir!”

“You doing good in school?”

“Yes Sir! A’s and B’s.”

“Why you ‘lookin’ for work girl?”

“It’s, it’s hard now for Mama alone. My Dad died. They were divorced and no money is coming in now. She and I may get something but he did not have a will and lawyer’s are exp...”

“Worst kind of snakes on this earth, maybe worse than them goddamn politicians.”

I knew in this part of the State there were not many, if any jobs for a girl in high school. Not if she did not want to work on her back or dance butt naked. “All-right, how much you need to make a month and how old are you?”

“I’m 16 near 17. I would like to work the jobs that pay the most per hour. As I said, summers I can work more hours than when I have to go to school.”

“I wish you would listen better. I asked you how much money do you and your Mama need a month to be comfortable. What you told me of your age answers another question. Do you drive and have you a car?”

“Sorry Sir. I don’t know how much money we owe. Yes I know how to drive, a manual, automatic, tractor, hay truck, ATV even a four-wheel jeep. No I do not have a car, Mom had an old...”

“You’ll need one to go shopping and pick up things. You plan to stay on this job we’ll get you a SUV or you off to college soon?”

“Ha, funny you are. I guess you don’t know how hard it is for a girl with a high school diploma to get a job. If we had the money for me to go to college it would go to pay the bills. So, Mr. Joker. I ain’t going anywhere if you can hire me?”

“Mighty certain you are Missy Tara, but ‘Never say Never’(Yeah, spent some time in Germany figuring some things out for the Broccoli Group, shoulda named her Jamie. Or him James, OH, they did. Right).”

I looked her in the eye. “Bring you Mama here tomorrow with a list of what you owe, to whom or for what and we’ll figure up what you need. You got the job if you will work hard and still want it.”

What I did not expect was a turned up nose, puckered lips and tears running down her face.

“Hey, you get the floor wet you’re going to clean it.”

Her jumping up and hugging me was also not expected. Like I would know where I could or could not put my hands to hold her still, I knew where they ‘wanted’ to go.

I had said that I had good days. B P Oil and Gas Exploration made mine one day with a many Million dollar lease, per year for some mineral and drilling rights to 250,000 acres I luckily still had after the divorce. One thing I had always said to myself was that I would always try to help people, deserving people if I ever could.

Sure I gave some for charity, even before any Oil money. This went to people I did not know and never would see. I wanted to actually touch lives and see good changes in the way they lived. Tara’s situation touched me some. I had no reason to believe she would lie to me about her situation. Just a FYI, she never did lie to me either.

The next day them damn chimes rang again. Two bodies stood out front looking like they were waiting to get branded.

I opened the door and said, “I already gave at the office!”

That got me a hit from Tara, all 80 pounds of her, who then raised her hand to cover her mouth.

I had to laugh and motioned them in with a big smile on my face. “Ma’am, your daughter’s a might aggressive to a poor, defenseless man. You might want to rein her in until I know her better?”

Ice broken. I could tell by the smile on their faces.

“I might if you offer a decent price for her, she has good teeth and will have a nice conformation in a year or two.”

“Ranch folk, Ehh?”

She nodded.

“OK then! Have a seat and let’s talk price and if you want a high price I may need to ride her a bit before I buy.”

That got a wild look on the girl’s face but Mama just put on her poker face and opened her notepad.

She had put a lot of work and thought on those pages. She had what they owed, what they spent each month and for what. What she did not have was the monies she would need if she was living a comfortable live, a decent life not a luxurious one mind you.

I looked at her notes, added up some numbers in my head and doubled it then doubled it again. “Ladies excuse me just a minute. Tara up ahead you’ll find the kitchen bring us something cool to drink, I’ll be back.”

I went to the desk in my office and wrote out a draft for that amount. I took out an offer sheet and some hire forms my PA back in Dallas had emailed me. I joined them.

Tara had like 4 different drinks lined up on the table. She was shaking, Mama was holding in a laugh I think. There is a saying, ‘Look to the mother to see the daughter’ there was no doubt Tara got some good genes from her.

I handed Mama the draft. She looked at it and it was a repeat of what I had gone through with Tara yesterday. She showed it to Tara.

I filled in a number for her starting salary then placed the forms where they both could see, with the HR sheets underneath.

“OK! That’s the upfront number, now here is the rest of my offer.”

She goes on to college, the company pays She gets a car every three years we pay Insurance, maintenance, gas and all expenses are included. She gets a yearly bonus, if she works hard She gets 3-weeks holiday and 15 personal days a year. Travel, all expenses and clothing allowances are paid by us. She works for us until she finishes college or gets married. She has the option to stay if there is no conflict of interest. Her status is as a full-time, salaried employee. SEP (like a pension but better)savings are paid by us. She has full medical and dental coverage paid by us. She has a $500,000 term life policy paid by us She has a company credit card, She has a company laptop, printer, cellphone She has a signature loan benefit of $50,000 to draw on. She has a home mortgage benefit up to $500,000. Her starting salary will be $ 72,000 per year paid monthly in arrears with an additional $25,000 paid upon signing to cover expenses for clothes and things.

“This is the best I can do, take it or leave it Tara?”

I think she fainted! Mama was in-shock I guess, she just stared at me. I said I wanted to buy her lock, stock and Platinum hair so you got my best offer for her.”

“What no free coffee? What about a room here with free room and board? What about her poor, poor Mother?”

“Depends on how long the test ride is for!”

I always wanted to say that. Tara was still out like a light, Mama was laughing.

“What? You don’t think I’m serious?”

“I think you have lost your mind. No sane man would do all this.”

“OK. OK, I’ll add free coffee but that’s it!”

“Fine, what’s the job and can I join too?

“Not certain, Tara needs to tell me what her hours are, when she can work, where she wants to go to college, all kinds of things like that.”

“Sounds more like you’re buying a slave or a girlfriend. You are crazy you realize that?”

“You could be her assistant maybe? We can get you one of those French maid outfits and that duster thing.”

“In your dreams. But, what would my salary be for that?”

“Probably more than I can afford. I already bought off one wife. Not a lot of trust left you see?”

“I could get a long silver wig and slinky short skirts?”

“Oh! She wears short skirts does she, well let me update that offer then?”

Tara sat up. “Where do I sign and what kind of skirt do I have to wear?”

“A short one, with a slit up both sides. That’s all you can wear for clothes around the house, I’ll keep it warm in Winter for you! Your Mom added free coffee to the offer already! OH, she said the short skirts would be ‘slinky’”

She stretched. “OK, but I’d rather have juice than coffee!”

Rather than only suspect it, I already knew for certain I was going to be in big trouble with Tara around!

‘It’s only money’ I thought. Famous last words.

We started talking, we being her Mom and Tara, well she just drank up all those drinks lined up. We heard “Bathroom” after a bit.

“Yes, I have 4 plus 2 in the pool area.”

“I need one, now, mister and I am not cleaning up if I wet the floor, so give!”

I pointed, Mama laughed. She had a nice laugh. “I still think you are insane, but how much more do I make if I wear that maid outfit instead of the short skirts?”

“Like I said, I probably can’t afford it, but ‘in for a pound...” I guess we can find you something to do. What do you do and what is your name? I can’t keep calling you Mama, now can I?”

“Depends on what the pay is!”

She said that with a straight face. A lioness staring down a gazelle came to mind and I knew this was not a National Geographic show.

“Look, let me be honest, I just moved here last month. I know I need help with this house and other things especially if I need to gallivant around at times. If this was Dallas I know a lot of folks there. Here, everything is new to me. Why? I wanted somewhere new. Like I said, I don’t have a lot of trust right now.”

I took a deep breath. “So help me out here, what do you do or what kind of work are you looking for?”

“I was the office manager here while they were building out the club sites, that’s why Tara and I got a deal to lease over on Elm. Before that I worked for my husband, in his law f...”

“Another snake type I see.” I thought a bit as Tara came in. “Girl fix us some coffee, your Mama and I are talking and I may have and idea how we can help each other. If you left any wet spots on your ‘walk-about’ you ‘are’ cleaning them up.”