Chapter 29

The new voice was a great and chronic complainer. Every time we conversed, he would have something that he felt bad about, or that seemed extremely unfair to him. The single biggest complaint always centered around how unfair it was that he'd been singled out to take the blame for the fighting that had broken out in the chambers of decision back when the guardians were debating my fate. To his way of thinking, he had been only the messenger of my bad news. It rankled like an open wound with him. Of course, I liked to wind him up, and then egg him on, just for the fun of listening to him rant and fume about all the injustices that has beset him.

I cannot comprehend how it can be possible that I have to sit here, guarding this festering pustule on a Quarrint's teat, while others bask in fine splendor and luxury. Everyone knows that their only talents are their ability to speak ill of their betters, and to plot and scheme to mask their own, too obvious shortcomings.

<Who has got your feathers all ruffled this time?>

Don't speak to me. Had it not been for those never ending, and totally unrealistic demands of yours, demands that I was required to convey to the other guardian's gathered together in the chambers of decision, it could well have been an assignment handed to me.

<Didn't I already tell you that I'm sorry that you were reassigned here for trying to help us? I think I did. You should be over it by now.>

If only you were aware enough to understand the difference between my previous position, and where I now find myself situated.

<I don't know why you're so upset anyway. How long can your punishment last, a year, maybe two?>

You will be dead, and long forgotten, three centuries before I am even considered for possible reinstatement to a better position.

<So, what's this plum that you're missing out on? Someone needs their ass wiped or something?>

If you must know, the assignment was for an entity to conduct the search for the undiscovered resources that the guardian that you referred to as the voice purloined from Kyererti. Their value hadn't been properly calculated before. Now that this has been rectified, a new search has been authorized. This is the type of exercise that I excel in. But, thanks to you, I wasn't even considered for it.

<Look on the bright side Hal, maybe they'll all fall right on their asses with this search, and it will still be out there for you to find when you get back to the chambers of decision. The more others fail, the better you'll look if you can locate whatever those resources are that are still missing.>

Yes, there is that. Thank you for that insight. It does give me comfort. There is every likelihood that all their effort will only lead to failure.

<That's the spirit. You're welcome. I told you that I like to help.>

I went down to Santa Ana, rented a plane, first flying over the area that was going to be Diamond Bar someday. I was hoping to see some familiar landmarks from the air that would help me to locate this one particular area that would later be an offramp that I really wanted to own property on. Had I been a pilot the first time around, I'd have been able to discern the paths of progress much easier and more accurately from up in the air than I had on the ground. I had been up flying for more than an hour, heading due East on my way back to the airport, after swinging over for a look at some other land in the Seal Beach area, when I had my attention drawn to a large and open tract of land situated just North of Seventeenth Street, and South of Garden Grove Blvd. It was also just to the East of Beach Blvd. I knew that this whole area would be covered with scores of small and cheap housing tracts in another year or so. The land that I was looking at was about a twenty acre parcel, and someone was currently farming it. I made a mental note to swing by there to see if that land was for sale at any kind of reasonable price.

When I had landed the plane and finished the tie downs, I drove over to that area and found the parcel of land. There was an old and rundown house in the back of the property that looked like it was being lived in. I drove up the dirt road from the paved street about eight or nine hundred feet. The farmer who lived there came out of his house just to see what I wanted, coming on his property like that. I got right to the point with him.

"Hi, I'm Jimmy Gordon. My mom and dad were looking to maybe buy some land in the area, and I just wondered if you had anything here that you might be interested in selling. What are you planting out there?"

"Asparagus, good little cash crop, too. I'm Dean Trulen, and this is my land. Been in my family for forty years."

"How big a piece is it?"

"It's a little bigger than eighteen acres now. I had to dedicate some of it to the county for that road over East of here. I've been thinking of selling out here and moving somewhere else pretty quick, but it would have to be at my price. I'm not about to give it away too cheap."

"That sounds pretty smart. No reason a man should give it away, not when there's so much money floating around. How much is it that you'd be taking for the whole thing?"

"I'd need ninety thousand. Property is all mine too, free and clear, just like my daddy left it to me."

"That's five thousand an acre. I'm afraid that's too rich for my folks to handle right now. They'd give that to you in two years though, when their inheritance money comes through."

"I'll be long gone by then. I might take as little as Seventy two thousand though, for a quick cash sale. You think they could handle that now?"

"No, but they could handle Fifty four thousand, all cash, with a twenty day escrow just to prove title and to take care of due diligence."

"You talk good, boy, you must be educated and all. If your parents can come up with sixty thousand, all cash, and handle all the closing costs, they just bought a nice little farm for themselves."

"We'll go fifty seven, and split all costs down the middle, except for title, which you'll pay 100%."

"Done and done. Who do you want for the closing? First American is quick, and pretty good."

"When will our crop be ready to harvest?"

"That's my crop, and it will be in and sold before escrow closes, don't you fret none about that. What kind of earnest money we talking about here?"

"Three thousand on opening of escrow?"

"Can you make it five, and then release it to me when the title report comes back clean? I'm buying a place now up in San Ardo, and I could use the ready cash?"

"I don't know about that. If the price was fifty five though, I would release ten thousand then."

"I can see myself doing something like that for fifteen. A man would have to be a fool to walk away from that much earnest money that he's already released."

"Done. You go down and set up the escrow, and I'll go get my mother to sign for things. My father's overseas, but my mother has a signed unlimited power of attorney for him. Order up that preliminary title too. If it shows clean, you can have your money released the next day if you want it. We can meet at First American at three?"

"I can get my end done by then. She got access to that much money, your mom?"

"She can scrape it up between her egg money, and the pin money that my dad left her."

"It's been a pleasure making your acquaintance Mr. Gordon, but I need to get going if I'm fixing to have all of my part taken care of before three."

"Likewise, Mr. Trulen. I don't expect my folks will make too much money quick, but I think they'll make out pretty good in the long run with it."

"Just don't let one of them builders come by and offer you any of those joint ventures that they're trying to sell people on. They tack on them subordination clauses, and then use it to get all the construction money from the banks. A man could lose his whole property if the bottom was to fall out before they get finished building."