I'm Right Here

My stomach argued and protested. I needed to stop being picky, so I choked down a few bites of the burger, followed by a few sips of plain carbonated crap that lacked any kind of syrup. Maybe I should drive back there after dealing with the bank and demand better service? But then I thought it wouldn’t matter if I did, and maybe next, I would get to taste someone’s spit in my food. Then, it’d be fresh, at least.

I wiped the rainbow of ketchup and mustard off the corner of my mouth and got out of the truck to head into the bank.

It was typical red brick, with the name in a block font, the sun between the words Sunny and Field was creepy with its clown-like smile and childlike eyes. Whoever designed that had issues as a kid, apparently.

Inside was well heated, which was welcomed as I came in through the glass doors. The place was deserted of customers, yet at each desk, off to my right and teller booths to my left, were employees. I casually counted eight with my eyes before turning to look at her.

A blond teller wearing a white fuzzy sweater asked cheerfully, “Hi, can we help you?” as I stood there looking around.

“Uh, yeah. I’m here to sign some paperwork on a home purchase?”

I had no idea what to say. It’d been too many years since I bought a home, and this place was so quiet it was loud.

“Oh, then you want to talk to Marie! Have a seat, and she will be with you shortly.”

I nodded at the blonde as I sat in a plain light blue padded chair in a small waiting area. From there, I could see the tellers and the desk staff. The lady named Marie was sitting at the desk not far from where I was.

“Marie, you have a gentleman waiting regarding paperwork to sign? I’m not sure what exactly he’s here for.”

I was sitting right there, barely twenty feet from them, yet I seemed invisible. 

The woman, Marie, responded, “Alright, give me a minute, and you can bring him back.”

The blond nodded and then headed straight for me before saying, “I’m sorry, Marie is busy at the moment. However, she will be able to help you here shortly.”

I looked up at the woman, dumbfounded. Glancing between her and the woman named Marie, she had to notice the weird look on my face. But, no, she only smiled and went back to her booth. 

The whole thing was so unreal it almost made me laugh.

I leaned back and looked out the window, trying to wrap my mind around what I had just experienced. 

A few minutes passed, and I glanced at Marie at her desk. She was eating. One by one, she picked up what looked like rainbow-colored candy from the red package and popped it into her mouth. I must have stared at her for over 10 minutes, but not once did she look in my direction.

I decided to do the gentlemanly thing when trying to get someone’s attention and cleared my throat loudly.

“Ehhmmehm.”

It finally got her attention, but she didn’t speak to me. Instead, she called out to the blonde standing at the booth on her phone, “Tabitha, you can bring him back now.”

The blond set her phone down and responded, “Okay!”

The blond named Tabitha came around the booths and walked over to me before saying, “Marie can see you now. Please follow me.”

At this point, I thought I was in some kind of twilight zone. If she thought I would lose my way walking twenty feet, then I must look dumber than the whole situation was.

“Please have a seat,” Marie said as I came over.

I nodded and sat down.

Watching her grab the candy wrapper off her desk and chuck it under, I almost lost it. The bank I once used was much more professional. Maybe I was just spoiled?

“Can I have your name please?”

I sat up straight and responded, “Samuel Lake.”

“Date of birth?”

“February 20th, 1983,” I responded, fighting off thoughts of Rebecca’s birthday right after mine.

“Ah, okay. I see, purchasing the old Witmaker’s property. My goodness,” she glanced at me and took a deep breath. Her demeanor suddenly changed before saying, “Okay, great. I printed off the paperwork just a while ago, go ahead and look over everything. Let me know if you have any questions. I will be right back.”

She handed me a thick folder of paperwork and a pen before getting up from her desk.

I scooted the uncomfortable seat closer to her desk, laying the paperwork down one by one as I looked over it. One skill I had, regardless if it’s been a few years, was a keen eye for words. It’s like riding a bike. 

I noticed the house had a safety inspection and had passed. It also stated the living room was remodeled, so that explains the mud-filled and painted log walls. One paragraph was interesting, reading that the cellar was nonfunctional and inaccessible due to safety issues. The previous owners had it professionally enclosed. I was curious as to what kind of safety issues.

I signed as I read, and another thing that caught my eye was the lease option for the land. If a farmer wanted to use the wheat field for cattle, regrowth, or just farm the wheat, they could get a lease contract between me, the bank, and the farmer. I didn’t know anything about that, but I wouldn’t be leasing anything anyway. 

The house and land were going to be paid in full. I have a business account I never touch, all the revenue from the selling and distribution of all my work went into it, so it was enough to stay not working for another twenty years if I wanted. So it was Rebecca’s and I’s nest egg. I also had her and Chrissy’s life insurance in there.  

“Okay, Mr. Lakes,” she said, but I quickly corrected her.

“Mr. Lake.”

“Oh, sorry, that S just sneaks in on me sometimes. So, Mr. Lake, you will be paying by cash today?”

I shook my head, “Actually, it will be a wire transfer from my bank. I can do it over the phone.”

Marie smiled widely, “Fantastic. Oh, and don’t forget to read the agreement on home insurance. You are paying outright, but our county still requires farmers to maintain home insurance. We provide that here, through the bank. The fine can get expensive if it’s not maintained.”

Now it made sense why they were willing to pay the insurance, other than to sweeten the sale.

“What if you’re not a farmer?”

Marie looked more dumbfounded than I was earlier.

“You don’t have plans to use the land for farming?”

I shook my head, “No, I don’t.”

“But, Mr. Lake! That land is farmland, it should be utilized for what it’s made to do, farm!”

I responded, unshaken by her claim, “I’m not a farmer.”

She laughed, suddenly throwing me off guard, “Oh, that’s right! You’re a writer, silly me! My apologies. It must have slipped my mind. While you rest and relax, you can always lease out the land. It would help our little town and make you some money on the side.”

I wanted to laugh and pull the pretentious card and tell her I didn’t need the money, but instead, I nodded as if thinking about it.

“Yeah, I’ll think about it.”

“Fantastic! So did you have any questions about the house or the land?”

I nodded, “Yes, about the cellar, the safety inspection listed it was blocked off and inaccessible. So, what’s the safety issue with it? Is the foundation cracked?”

Marie hesitated, and I could see the debate between truth and lie in the deep lines quivering around her fake smile.