"Oh there you are, Lou, come on in! Lynn, this is Lou, the young man I was telling you about!"
I stepped into Mrs. Trudy Willis' kitchen, fairly grimey from a plumbing job. I had washed up, but still had filthy jeans and soiled work shirt on.
At the counter, sipping on tea, was Mrs. Willis' neighbor, Lynn. Since this was a 55+ Community, I expected another doddering old lady, shrinking with age. What I saw was both surprising and refreshing.
Lynn smiled, put down her cup, and rose. She was about 5'8, but not frail at all. In fact, she was well-endowed, bust-wise, about 38D or so. She stood straight, stepped toward me with her hand extended, long, graceful, fingers with manicured red nails. She wore a green pants-suit, the button-down jacket showing ample freckled breasts. Her face, surrounded by neatly-coifed red hair, longer than most seniors wear it, was rosy-red, with green eyes, highlighted with just the right amount of eye-shadow and mascara.
In all, she could have been a talk-show host, so professional and personable.
"Hello, Louis, you come highly recommended by Mrs. Willis! She says you can fix anything!"
It's always nice to get compliments, but even more so from an attractive female, of any age. I was sure she was stroking my ego to get a better price, but that was okay. I still blushed a bit.
"Well, I don't know about that, but if I can't fix it, I won't lie to you. If I can, I'll give you a good price and I stand behind my work."
"How about tea, Dear?" Trudy asked.
"A glass of water, if you have it, thanks."
Lynn still held my hand. She asked, "A Leo, right?"
I didn't believe in such things, but knew my sign. "Yes, how did you know?"
"The pride in your work. The way you hold your head, and that big beard looks like a mane! Hah!" They both laughed and I smiled. "My head's too fat to hold any other way, and the beard keeps me warm in the winter. I'm working on both."
"Oh, please, no! Don't ever change because of what someone says, especially me! I was only teasing, and I love beards, so manly! I bet Mrs. Lou loves it, too, when you tickle her!" Lynn's eyes were bright, and I thought of Marie and the kids down south, with her family, since the divorce became final.
Trudy knew the story and interrupted. "Oh, Lou's on the prowl, as we say! Right, Lou? We'll find you a nice girl."
Lynn picked up on the tone and apologized right away. "Oh, I didn't mean to pry..."
I forced a smile. "No problem. Life goes on, right? I still got my health."
"And that's the most important thing, Honey," Lynn said, with Trudy nodding.
I sat chatting with them. Both Lynn and Trudy were widows. Trudy, I met at the Center, and had done odd jobs for her. Most of my new clients were through recommendations, so I tried to be as gentlemanly and professional as possible, while understanding that sometimes they just liked to chat while I worked.
Trudy, I knew from her last birthday, was 72. They had a party at the Center for her. Lynn, on the other hand, was not nearly that old.
Lynn had moved here just four years earlier. Her late husband was sickly and older when they moved in, and after 3 years of hospitals and surgeries, he passed away last year. I expressed my condolences, and Lynn smiled, sadly.
"Well, like you said, I have my health." She had enough insurance to cover her expenses and then some, based on her jewelry and the fine car in the driveway. She had no family to speak of, so she stayed in the Community.
Anyway, the house had been neglected, and Trudy had bragged to Lynn about me. She had assorted drips and loose doors, possibly some painting, if I could give her a price. I agreed to be over at her place the next day, bright and early. "Around ten?" I asked.
"If you think that's early, fine, Lou!"
I smiled. "Okay, nine AM."
She answered the bell on the first ring. She wore that same smile, and I liked her immensely. She just seemed so nice!
Today, she had black stretch slacks with stirrups, making her legs longer with heels. I could also see the contours of her butt, not at all like a senior's, firm but plump. Not a kid, either. A red sweater with wide neck that again showed off those freckled boobs completed to outfit.
She whisked me into the kitchen, where she had coffee in a carafe, with Danishes, fresh from Walt's Bakery, I was sure. The box was still there.
"Please, have some. I don't have company often, so allow me to play the hostess."
I had rushed over, so I didn't have coffee yet anyway, so we sat, discussing the chores.
For the next hour, we walked around. Many things just needed tightening, which I did from my tool belt. Even the drip just needed a quarter turn to stop. We sat back in the kitchen for another cup and I took out my pad. Figuring my time to paint, I thought I wrote a decent price. I turned it to her, and said, "How does this sound?"
Her eyes widened. I was taken aback. "Oh, gee, okay, thanks, Lou, will you take a check?"
"Yeah, sure, is there something wrong, Lynn?"
"No, I just don't think I'll be able to afford that paint job."
"Huh? Then what's the check for?"
"For this," pointing to her figure at my pad.
"I think you misunderstand. That's the price I can do the painting for, plus the price of paint, whatever brand you want."
Her face lit up. "Oh, oh! I thought that was for this morning, the things you did already."
I had to laugh. She thought I was ripping her off. "No, those are on the house. I can't charge you for a screw or a nut. I'd never get hired in this town."
"You were so quick with that screwdriver! I thought, 'I haven't even hired him, yet!' Then... oh Lou, that's an excellent price for painting, much cheaper than the other estimate. I'm sorry for questioning you."
"Forget it, what's already done pays for the Danish and coffee."
