So many things going on and not wanting to lose track of anything was my goal. I lost my job because of the company I was working for was going out of business and I had just been told that the building I was living in was being sold and all existing tenants have to re-apply with the new owners. I would be without a job and without a place to stay.
I had been in contact with one of my customers on personal level as well as a professional one and I told him that I was concerned that with the economy the way it is, I wouldn't be able to find a job as quickly as I would like and have been sending out my resume to places since were given the word of the company going down. He told me that I shouldn't have a problem since I was good at why I do and he would even ask around for me. He even offered me a place to stay at his house until I could get a place. I told him I appreciated the compliments about my job and didn't think that his wife and family would appreciate a white woman living under the roof with him and his black family. He told me that he was black but his wife was white and she worked the third shift at a hospital and wouldn't be home when we were. She started work third shift many years ago and has never gone back to working the first shift. He told me to think about it and it would be almost rent free. He had a finished basement that he and his family hardly ever used so I decided to take him up on that offer.
Jim helped me to move my things from my apartment to is house one weekend and it only took 4 trips to get all my things. I was so happy that I wouldn't have to apartment hunt especially with the winter months and cold weather approaching. I had all the room in the world here as the rooms were spacious and all my furniture and goods fit perfectly. I had my own washer and drier, a kitchen/living room, a bedroom, an area to put my desk and computer and storage galore. Jim's mom was living there until she passed two years ago.
I cooked my own meals and there were some nights when I made some of my famous pasta sauce or my roast beef, I always made enough for Jim to join me for dinner. I didn't go out much and didn't have many visitors so having his company was good. We got along really well and even watched movies either in my place or in his living room. I have to admit that I was starting to get some serious feelings for him but didn't want to let on to him. There was one night I was making my pork roast and he wanted to watch me prepare because he loved to cook and wanted to see what I did to make it taste so good. I had him work beside me and give me a hand. It was a very simple as all I did was cook it slow at a low temperature and all I added was salt and pepper. From that night on, we referred to ourselves as Salt and Pepper and it was our pet names that we called each other but only in each others company.
A few weeks before Christmas, there was a really bad storm and it knocked out the power and it got very cold in my apartment. Jim had come down for me and brought me upstairs to keep warm by the fireplace and the heat generated from it was heavenly. We didn't have the television to watch but he had a portable radio which he turned on and they were playing some really good tunes. One of my all time favorites of all time was Barry White and he came on the radio. Unknown to me, Jim also enjoyed Barry and his music and he spoke up and he even ask me to dance. I said yes and we danced by the fire and I could feel myself melting in his arms. His hands were so soft and he smelled so intoxicating. He stood 6'4" tall and I was a short 5'3".
