This one is about being Politically Correct to the point of being stupid. I have heard a joke about being so open minded that your brains fall out; this story is more or less about that. The brains are going to be helped along, but in the end there are some risks to being open minded.
Ashley called out to her husband James "Hey, moving van next door! Looks like we have new neighbors finally."
"About time, talk about timing. Right as we move into this development the market down turns and the whole place nearly goes under. Glad they finally sold at least one other lot." James replied as he came up behind his wife who was looking out the front window.
The development was a really large upper class neighborhood that had gotten off to a slow start due to a bad downturn in the local housing market. James and Ashley had been the only ones to purchase a house for about 4 months and they were glad to finally have neighbors. The houses were pretty nice, 3 stories, pools in the back, saunas, balcony, 3 car garage, and most certainly were not cheap. But James was a top notch lawyer at the top law firm in the city and Ashley was a computer consultant who did contract work de-bugging systems for banks and international businesses. They had tons of money and loved the house so it hadn't been an issue.
"Hey, there's the car. Oops, cars. Hmmmmm, nice Cadillac and, whoa, check out the BMW! Nice. Good taste in cars for one of them anyway. I always think of pimps when I see a caddy." James said.
Ashley elbowed him. "How many times to I have to tell you to keep an open mind? That sounds like something my redneck brother would say."
James was about to reply when he saw the couple getting out of their cars. They were black, well dressed, and seemed to be very happy as they looked around.
"Well, let's go say hi." Ashley said and they headed out the door.
Ashley walked up to the couple with James as the man was pointing to the movers and telling them that the blue boxes go upstairs. The woman glanced over and nudged the man who turned and smiled.
"Hello! I'm Tyrone Johnson and this is my wife Monica, I guess you are the neighbors?" he said in a slightly loud voice.
Ashley smiled and James replied "You are correct. I'm James and this is Ashley my wife. Welcome to the neighborhood. Well, it's one now that there is more than one couple of the street.
"True. But I like it quiet. Gives you the chance to be yourself and relax." Monica said as she shook James hand and then Ashley's hand.
Ashley felt a slight tingle as she shook Monica's hand and then another one as Tyrone shook it. She blinked and mentally shrugged.
They made some small talk and found out that Tyrone was a money manager for a large diverse group of private investors and Monica was a semi-retired model who was starting to break into managing models.
James and Ashley were both impressed by their neighbors. Tyrone was a large man, slightly taller than James, but heavily built and muscled, handsome in a rough way like a streetwise hustler who had made it and was not quite down with how to perfectly fit in. Monica was a sexy, hot black woman standing nearly 6 feet tall, with long toned legs that went on forever, beautiful shiny black hair done up in a tower neatly, a nice chest (at least a 38 DD), and a nice face with beautiful lips painted bright cherry red.
Ashley couldn't help but feel a bit inferior. She wasn't quite as tall, or as toned and her chest was a respectable 34DD. Her sandy blonde hair was cut shorter in the pixie style (easier to maintain while traveling for contract jobs), and she wasn't quite the hourglass that Monica was. James seemed a bit intimidated as well. Ashley noticed that Tyrone was just a touch loud and brash, not enough to be over the top, but enough to notice.
After the small talk, Ashley invited them over for dinner and they accepted gladly. Tyrone shook their hands one more time and said "Hey, thanks for coming out and saying hi. It means a lot to meet people who don't have issues with my, urm, look."
James looked a bit uncomfortable, but Ashley quickly spoke up. "Thank you, we are very open minded here."
"Yes, open minded. Very good." Monica said, and Ashley and James felt that tingle again.
The dinner had been very pleasant with Tyrone explaining his work with lots of folks who had issues getting proper help. Mostly his work was for people who had records or other past troubles and therefore got the cold shoulder from more established companies. Tyrone explained that there was a lot of money to made for this niche and the vast majority were folks who had straightened up. He got an occasional bad apple, but he dropped them as soon as he found out anything that would bring down the law.
Tyrone had asked James about his job and they had talked a long time about business. Tyrone had suggested that he should consider working for some of his clients. They usually needed as much advice about the law as money and they certainly could afford his services. James had been reluctant to go down that road as his firm frowned on that type of client, but Monica had spoken up.
"Your attitude doesn't sound very open minded suddenly. What's the problem?"
Ashley had been about to speak up on James defense when she felt a tingle. She blinked and then said "You know, they have a point. It wouldn't hurt the image of the firm to help people trying to start over with the best advice they can get. We need to keep an open mind after all"
James had opened his mouth but he instead nodded as soon as he heard Ashley say keep an open mind.
"That's right. We aren't redneck trash here. Everyone needs a new start." He thought to himself and then said he might consider it for a client or two if Tyrone would vouch for them.
"That's the spirit; I just knew you two had nice open minds." Tyrone had said with slightly ominous chuckle as Monica smiled at Ashley.
The next day was interesting.
First, James' Lexus had trouble starting. Tyrone had been leaving at just the same time and offered to give James a lift as it turned out Tyrone office was actually nearby the law firm. James agreed and Ashley waved goodbye as they drove off, hearing just a slightly too loud rap song playing.
Ashley was doing some online courses over the next month in preparation for her next contract, so she headed to her computer. She had just logged on when she heard her doorbell.
