Chapter 349

I had enough time to have a bowl of pinto beans with onions and corn bread before I left for my meeting with Jennifer. Sylvia and Walter. The beans were no better than Helen's, but they were certainly different and every bit as good in their own way.

I rode the bike several blocks to Jennifer's office. I knew Sylvia was already in the office, because I saw her scooter in the parking lot. I parked my bike beside her scooter.

I finally got to meet Jennifer's cold hearted receptionist. She turned out to be a fifty pound over weight brunette with blond hair thanks to a home dye job. She was not a happy looking lady at all. It showed in her voice.

She might be the kind that wouldn't leave to get married for a while, which seemed to be Jennifer's main requirement when she hired receptionists. She was also the kind that would drive off the customers. Well maybe not drive them off, but she wouldn't leave anyone with a good feeling about Jennifer's firm for sure.

"I'm Maxine Stone, I have a meeting with Jennifer in about five minutes," I informed her.

"I know who you are, and they are waiting for you in the conference room. The boss said you knew the way," she replied.

"I do and thanks." She didn't even make a gesture acknowledging that she had heard me say thank you. "Sweetie, I have no idea how people act where you come from, but down here, we like for people to at least nod when we say thank you."

I stood at her desk until she finally answered. "Yes ma'am, I'm sorry." I nodded to let her know I understood and all was forgiven. At least I hoped she got that from it.

I found my way back to the conference room. When I entered, I found Edsel, Sylvia, and the ramrod straight man who had to be Walter, the money man. They were all seated at the library table. That table was used for all kinds of lawyer crap, because it would easily seat ten nervous people. So much for a small intimate meeting with your attorney and your ex husband, I thought.

"Maxine this is Walter Benjamin from Greene County Savings and Loan." Edsel said as if it was the only information necessary to pass along.

"Hello Walter, nice to meet you. I am the woman with the money problem," I admitted. I also nodded to acknowledge Sylvia's presence.

"It really is a problem you have there and something for which you have to be punished. You want to do a good thing, and we all know that no good deed goes unpunished. Well at least it is tricky to avoid the good deed sanctions. In this new world where we live the government wants to be the only one to look out for the citizens,"he informed me.

"Yeah the nanny state, and I don't think much of nannies," I said.

"I heard you had a little problem with a nanny. I was sorry to hear that. I follow your press pretty closely. Some day I would love to sit and hear your stories," Walter suggested.

"Can I come along if that happens," Edsel asked in a cheerful voice. It was the first thing she had said so far that wasn't all somber. Sylvia hadn't spoken at all.

"You figure out this money mess, and I'll sit there all night telling stories, or I'll give you a blow job in McDonald's parking lot at noon on any Saturday you choose." I said.

"Since I'm happily married, I opt for number one," he said.

"Fair enough, So how do we solve my problem?" I asked.

"You can do anything as long as the people know up front what they are getting into. You also have to be careful how you word things. In General fairness and not taking Government money is the answer. I have read what Jennifer had to say and I think helping the working poor and the elderly is admirable. Now remember you are not going to be running a housing project for the poorest of the poor," Walter suggested.

"Speaking of which what do you know about Reverend Harold and his ministry?" I asked totally throwing him off his game plan I was sure.

"He operates the Aster housing project using volunteers from his church. The church does the maintenance as well as a non profit can hope to do. Anything Major they subcontract out and the contractor is paid by the housing authority with Government funds."

"Thanks, " I said. "So back to my problem. How do I get around the government involvement?"

"You do what is called a land sales contract. The government will not give you a dime for a land sales guarantee, but they also won't butt into it. You can require anything you want as a down payment, and any kind of credit history. Only you and the buyer need to be involved." he said. "You make your own decisions period. They can do nothing unless you take their money or do something blatant like 'Blacks need not apply'."

"But I am on the hook for the purchase and renovation costs. I won't have the money to complete the project." I admitted.

"That's where I come in. You have to preselect and make sure the buyers are the ones you want. Later I come along, after all the paper work is done and they are in the home I offer to buy the paper. If the buyer will sign a mortgage they get a lower payment and generally better terms. Probably a high, high percentage will make that decision, because of the deep discount. The trick is you can not promise them anything," he informed me.

"So I need to jack the price up, and then discount the paper to you?" I asked.

"That is exactly how it works," he said. "Your requirements must be as strict as ours. That's all that is necessary, we will do our own credit check of course."

"Of course," I agreed.

"Let me think this over. Just to give me an idea what kind of prices are you thinking?" I asked.

I went by this morning to see your Bluebird model home. I just looked in the windows but I think you have a 100k house there. To get the good discount you want for refinancing, sell it for over 90K Then I can refi it for 80K and show the 10% down which you will have."