One Good Turn Returns Another Three

Disclaimer: As always, this story was spell checked using MS word (suggestions). (Think of it like Italians and traffic laws. That's only a suggestion there too... The real literary world is wider than a set of rules.) All errors, real or imagined, are the sole responsibility of the author. Stupid comments will be deleted. Thoughtful comments, even if the comments are not in agreement with the author will be appreciated and valued.

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Ding Dong!

"What the fu?..." Before finishing that last word, I catch a glee filled and hopeful glance from Tess. "Heck." Looking directly at her, I say "What the heck." Whew. We've been trying to clean up our potty mouths. Whoever catches the other gets a point. I'm up by 20 points for the month and it's only the 7th.

Ding Dong!

It's 7:52 PM on a Tuesday and the fictional who-dun-it crime show we've been watching is at the wrap up. The Detective and his crew have just rounded up all the suspects for the 'Who the murderer is' reveal. Yea, like this ever happens outside of Agatha Christie novels. Dammit, whoops. I can think like a potty mouth and it doesn't count. I haven't seen this episode yet. If I had seen it I'm sure that I'd made a better 'guess'. As I didn't, my bet is on the neighbor. He's been way too cooperative and he doesn't look like he did it. It's always somebody that didn't look like they did it. "Tess, could you please watch this while I get the door."

"Honey, it's the dishes for you this week if I win."

"Tess, I always do the dishes. Anyway, it'll be the dishes if I win too." I say to her with a smile. We love making meaningless bets. But now to the front door...

I flip on the light and see a nicely dressed young man. That means that he's in a regular shirt and jeans - clean jeans and clean button down work shirt. He is standing there literally with a hat in his hand stepping back from the door as the light came on. "Can I help you?"

"Hi. I was wondering if you could. The house next door is up for sale and I was wondering if you could share anything about its history."

He seems to be a bit anxious. He looks like he's in his late 20's to early 30's. No ring on his finger or even a ghost of a ring. The car is about 3 years old and has a Lyft sticker on it. He's clean shaven and the two minor visible tats are family friendly. I've had a couple of bad experiences with men who had 'HATE' and 'LOVE' tattooed on their fingers. He didn't address me as sir so that's a plus in my book.

"What do you want to know? As far as I know, there are no ghosts in there. Al Capone didn't have any tunnels here. In fact, Capone was dead for over 15 years before it was built." I started laughing. After looking confused, he finally smiled. "Geraldo Rivera right?"

We both laughed. "Yep, 1986. I spent all evening watching the show in prime time. All we saw was backfill spilling from the sealed 'Al Capone tunnel' in his old hotel in Chicago that Geraldo's crew opened." He smiled at me as he shook his head from side to side. "Hey, it's a good trivia question." Opening the door wider, "Why don't you come on in and we can talk."

Walking over to the kitchen, we passed by Tess. The reveal was in process so she waved without taking her eyes off the screen.

"Can I get you something to drink? We have..." Tess yelled from the living room "Make it coffee, soda or water. Don't let him talk you into Malort."

He looked at me with surprise. "You have Malort? I thought that they only have that at bars. I'll take a glass of Michigan straight." Our tap water comes from Lake Michigan. The farther out suburbs have wells and that water tastes like shit as far as I'm concerned. Whoops, that's another one Tess didn't hear.

"Malort is also found in some finer homes in the area." I said with my trademark silly smirk followed by a chuckle. I got him some water from the fridge dispenser. "By the way, I'm Bill. That wonderful woman watching the reveal on the TV is Tess. I've lived here for about 35 plus years."

"Thanks for the water. I'm Pete, actually Petras. As you can hear, I've been able to drop some of my accent. I'm first generation Lithuanian American but was born right after my parents immigrated in the 1990's. Two years ago my parents went back to live in Lithuania to take care of my remaining 3 grandparents."

"I take it that you are fluent?" He nodded yes. "I'm second generation Polish and I'm not at all. All I can do is order food in restaurants and ask where the bathroom is. I also know all about the important drinks, wodka and piwo." I cleared my throat, "Kiedy koczy si schlitz, koczy si piwo." He looked at me a bit funny. "Vodka and beer. I said that when you're out of Schlitz, you're out of beer. That beer's been gone long before your time. Oh yes, I can also cuss people out in Polish. My grandparents were immigrants but I never got to meet 'em.

"Now that we've got that taken care of, why are you interested in the house next door?"

"I'm the newly minted guardian of my 9 year old nephew Tom. He's my sister's son and she isn't going to be able to take care of him for a while. I've had my own small apartment and that just isn't going to work out for us anymore. So I'm looking for a small house in a decent school district and an ok neighborhood. Can you fill me in on the house and area?"

"Well, I've had two kids go through the school system here, but that was more than 15 to 20 years ago. The only crime we've had nearby has been the standard -- some vandalism, wanna-be gang graffiti, kids smoking weed and drinking in the forest preserves. Occasionally, a drunk driver will tear up somebody's front lawn. Check out the neighborhood for yourself. I think that we have a pride of place. Honestly, we're a working class suburb and most people here just want to get ahead and protect what they have. We also tend to look out for each other.

"You'll have to figure out if the next bit works for you or not. We're a pretty ethnically diverse and tolerant group here. We try to get along. You don't have to like your neighbors, just not hate 'em. That's not to say that there aren't any tensions, but to be honest, there are assholes of all races, gender, ethnic groups, political, religious groups and gardening snobs. Don't get me started on the gardening snobs". He laughed with me on that last one.

"In a nearby high school, there was an 'altercation'." I used my fingers to show quote marks. "After all was said and done, we found out that there were no angels. There also weren't any full fledged devils either. I think that after it faded from the local news, the lawsuits from both sides were dropped. Both the kids were doing sh.." Suddenly, I heard a "What?" from the living room. I swear that Tess could hear an ant walking on a carpet during a 4th of July fireworks show. "As I was saying, the kids were both doing wrong STUFF." I looked toward the living room, "Got that Tess?"

"Does that help you for the neighborhood? The schools you can read up on that yourself."

"Bill, how about the house next door?"

"What are they askin' for it and what are you willin' to bid on it?"

"Small 3 bed rooms, ancient kitchen, they didn't list the age of the roof, water heater, or furnace. No permits were listed for any plumbing or electrical work in the past 20 years. It's on the market for $220. My budget is about $195"

"What do you do for a living?"

"Currently I'm a shift supervisor at one of the new warehouses by I-80. I've been going to night school 3 nights a week for advanced HVAC and business classes, but I'll have to cut that back with my nephew."

At this point Tess walked in wearing a smile. Damn, I knew that I just lost the bet. "You're washing dishes this week buddy." She then bent down and gave me a kiss. "We were both wrong." and she busted out laughing.

Pete looked questioning at us as I smiled. "Pete, we watch who-dun-its and make meaningless bets on who did it. By the way, this is Tess, the love of my life. Tess, this is Pete also known as Petras. He's interested in next door and the neighborhood."

The three of us began an hour plus discussion about that house, the neighborhood, raising kids, and Special Education in the district. We have several neighbors that have spoken about Special Education experiences that they or their relatives had. Pete's nephew is 'on the spectrum' and needs some but not massive specialized help. He's been mostly in regular classes. A neighbor was looking after him this evening. His mother, Pete's sister Angelika or Angel, is hospitalized for now and is expected to go to a skilled nursing care afterward. Pete explained that she was always medically fragile and got in trouble in her late teens. His nephew Tom was named after the father, but the father disappeared within 6 months after Tom's birth. Both parents had problems. It was a prime example of 'children having children'.

After saying goodbye, Tess and I settled down to watch another who-dun-it. "Bill, he seemed like a pretty responsible man with a serious responsibility."

"Yea, I felt that from the beginning. Anybody of his age not addressing me as "Sir" or "ol' fucker" gets my vote." Tess hit me lightly with a pillow and a laugh. "That's another point for me.

Drat. Double drat. "I hope that I told him enough about the house and the neighborhood. My first wife and I bought this place before kids and didn't even think of sh... errr...stuff like that."

"Bill, ever since the owner of my old rental died a year ago, it's been a mess with pretty bad tenents. Now being on the market for over 6 months and two price drops, maybe Pete will get it for his target."

"It probably helped that we gave him a real history of the actual maintenance that the investor's children didn't do. The old guy really bled that property dry..."

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"Bill, there's a car pulling all the way into the driveway next door."

Peaking around the window's curtains, I see the car. "And what am I suppose... wait... It's Pete!" I put on my light jacket and went outside. There was Pete exiting his car. Then the other door opened and a pre-teen walked next to Pete, looking a bit scared.

"Hey Pete! You got the house!"

He turned to me and smiled. Walking over and motioning for his nephew to join him, he shook my hand. "Bill, it's so nice to see you. It was touch and go for a couple weeks. It really helped that I was able to negotiate price cuts because of the active defects they weren't talking about." Turning to the boy at his side he said "Tom, I'd like you to meet your new neighbor. This is Bill."

At this point Tess joined us. "And this is Tess. Tess, this is Tom. Tom, this is Tess." Tom was a bit shy and stood motionless until he actually looked at us. He weakly smiled.

In unison, Tess and I said "Pleased to meet you Tom. Are you excited about moving into a new home?" He smiled, but said nothing.

"Tess, do you think that Tom would you like something to eat and drink? If that's OK with you Pete?"

"First I'd like to walk through the house with him. I think he'd like to see what his new bedroom looks like."

Tess smiled broadly at Tom. "Ok if we fix lunch? Tom, do you like extra cheese in your mac and cheese?" She got a big smile from him on that one while Pete nodded yes.

It was 20 minutes later when they knocked on the side door. Tom was smiling and Pete was looking worn.

We all sat down for lunch and Tom started eating immediately. For a young boy, he devoured two large servings of Tess' famous extra-cheese mac and cheese. When he was finished, Tess led him to the TV and pulled up something that he liked on one of the streaming channels. Then she returned to my conversation with Pete.

Somebody was a bit overwhelmed, and it was showing on him. Pete rattled off a bushel basket full of things that needed to be done - from moving out, packing, signing Tom up for school, getting billing for electric, internet connections and gas. Then there was insurance, cleaning, painting and the needed repairs to say nothing about all the other things needed to make a house a home. That is, to make a home for an 9 year-old boy while working full time and finishing up his three classes. Pete told us he cut back on his classes for the next semester.

Tess took the lead on this one. "Pete, would you like some help?" He started to protest. Tess never really gave him a chance. "I've got a bunch of markers that I can call in." He nodded a weary nod. "Let's talk about what you need done and we can figure out who or who's friends or relatives can do what. Let's start off the latest date you have to move in by. We'll work backwards from there." He nodded yes, but the long drawn look was looking bit less severe. By the time we were finished, Tess extended a welcomed invitation for dinner that both of them accepted. He had 7 weeks to close out the apartment and prepare the new house. He was quite a bit less stressed.

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One of the things that we found out about Pete was that he was well organized and grateful for any help he received. Tess appreciated that and redoubled her efforts to help him. Before moving-in day, I was surprised that Tess and I hadn't actually done a ton of physical work for him.

Tess greatly helped on the school issues. One of her friends had taught at the school for years before the friend and the husband retired and moved to Florida. That retired teacher decided to move back after her husband died. She realized that she couldn't stand Florida. She said where she was at was filled with entitled boomers who loved to hear themselves talk and were never wrong. She said that not having family around allowed them to become myopic. The pot dispensaries probably helped too. When I visited Florida to see friends, it wasn't that way for me. However, I couldn't handle Florida because of the weather and bugs to say nothing about the hurricanes. Now it's the cost of home insurance too. After the crash of that condo building, deferred maintenance also has to be paid for now. It's no longer allowed to just drop it on the next unsuspecting schmo who buys your condo. There are no free lunches. As to living in Florida, to each his own I guess.

I volunteered to go solo on yard clean up and interior painting duty. Both are things I kind of like doing, but only if it's on my timeline. 'Having a new yard' to work on was great. For me it was like riding a bike. With Pete's ok, I was able to get Tom's input on the backyard. It helped in developing a relationship with Tom. With the continuing decline of his mother, Tom needed more supportive people in his life and I was happy to do that. I don't know if it helped him or me more.

When it came to the interior of the house, it was 'Design by Tess', 'Approval by Pete', and 'Work by' Bill, Tess, Pete and who ever we could get to help. We called in some friends and relatives to do some plumbing, carpentry and electrical jobs as well as some odds and ends. The last renters partied a bit hard and holes in the walls needed patching. I was able to get some younger people up into the attic to blow in needed insulation. I don't get on ladders anymore but I do say that I do make a great straw boss.

As a house warming present to Tom, Tess and I took him to Ikea for his own new bed and dresser. Giving him the choice of his own bedroom furniture gave him the biggest smile. We got a budget from Pete, but Tess decided to double that and not tell Pete. I wasn't going to tell her that Pete was going to get all the receipts any way. We both wondered how Tom will adjust after the first of the year when he changes schools.

It was 6 weeks after Pete signed the papers on the house that the big move-in day was scheduled. Starting at 2 AM on that Saturday move-in day, there was an intense ice storm followed with winds from the north at 50 mph, gusting at 75 mph. The temp dropped like a rock and then it barely climbed to 15 degrees as the high for the day. Balmy if I must say so myself for mid-December. I woke up and wondered when will the weather really get bad?

Man plans, God laughs, Bill freezes. I wonder if I can get that on a t-shirt?

Tess started to approach my lead in cussing points after our breakfast and during the set-up for breakfast for the crew. If they come, you will feed them. Period. I knew that she has nothing to worry about on the cussing points because I was going to race ahead of her by the end of today.

Pete had his buddies load 90% of his stuff in the rented u-haul truck the night before while the temp was still in the high 20's and dry. The off loading was today with our crew and a few of his friends. Tess and I kept the walks clear of snow and ice and runners in his house to keep it a little bit cleaner. We kept a minimum number of people emptying the truck to the garage and a second group took the furniture, clothes and boxes in from there. Tess also kept the coffee pot and hot chocolate filled and was ready with an assortment of Danish, yogurt and energy bars. Or as I call it, Breakfast of champions. Or is that beer and cold pizza? Hey, I'm old and I get confused because I think that I'm still 25. Pete had given us cash to pick up a supply of fried chicken and some beer. The 'later in the day' interior set-up crowd were going to get pizza. I think he spent more on food then he did on renting the u-haul.

As to the unpacking and the move-in, weeks ago Pete agreed to give Tess permission to do as she thought fit. That's when I knew for sure that Pete was a very smart man. Over the past few weeks, he quickly recognized that he did not have the knowledge, and more so, the energy to figure everything out. There were more important things on his plate. The most important was his 9 year old nephew and then the move. He was relieved of the burden of setting up the house and that put Tess on cloud nine. Over those weeks, he did get hammered with a bunch of clarifying questions from Tess that helped him to repeatedly see that he made the right choice for his sanity. She's also pretty smart. She didn't ask open ended questions. It was more like multiple guess with an all of the above or other as stock answers.

By noon, the boxes, clothing and furniture were moved in and in place and the few flat packs were almost finished being assembled. Lunch had started for the moving crew while the organizing crew started to drift in. That crew was due to start at 1 PM. If you feed them, they will come. To get rid of them, stop feeding them and take away their beer. Don't laugh, it works.

I heard a familiar voice. "Grandma, Bill. I'm here and ready." Chloe rushed up to her grandmother and they hugged. Chloe had lived with us for a year while she was finishing up her degree and working part time. After graduation, she moved in with her girlfriends in the city about six months ago. Unfortunately, we haven't spent much time with her recently as she was starting her professional and dating life. Her apartment is 20 + city miles away. City miles take a hell... errr... heck of a lot longer to travel. Also, her marriage to the asshole was quickly receding in the mirror. Asshole is the proper name we all agreed on for her ex and it does not count as a cussing word. I almost forgot about trapping him and his fuck mate naked in my thorny rose garden at night. Boy, was that fun.

[ Please see part one and two of this illustrious series.

(cough cough, wheeze wheeze)

I had some fun with it. ]

I waved at Chloe then started approach them when Tess called out "Pete, here's my granddaughter that I've talked to you about." In a split second, Chloe looked up startled and then broke into a wide grin.

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Pete? Pete that I haven't seen each other since I changed to full time at school and part time work after divorcing the asshole? Pete who has always been working hard to get ahead? Pete that's been taking care of his sister and nephew? That Pete?