"Fuck! Did you hear?" Jerry asked his buddies, "They are never reopening the rec center. It's been sold to some rich fuck!" he said bitterly.
"Man! Really? We grew up there and what are they going to do, put in a strip mall or something?" Alex said, looking shocked.
"Christ. We were waiting for them to get their budget shit straightened out and instead they sell it?" Blair sighed. "Now where are we going to go next summer? It was our last chance to have a blast before college."
Gordon nodded, "There's always the beach...I know, it's an hour and a half drive. Look, we'll find something to do. We always do," he nodded at his friends.
25 acres of ball-field, tennis courts, Olympic size swimming pool, and clubhouse with pool table shut down over budget cuts the previous year. Now sold. The word was a rich guy from Shaker Heights had bought the entire park for 25 million. A million per acre! The average lot was 2 acres and normally sold for 50 thou. The town council jumped at the offer even though it was widely told that they could have negotiated a higher price as absurd as that sounded. This solved the entire Greensville budget problem. They were able to rehire the four police officers they'd laid off, reopen the library, and finally replace the 1974 fire engine with a new one.
None of that sat well with the kids of the town who'd grown up splashing in the pool, getting in heated battles on the tennis court, or gone to extra innings on the ball field. Almost every kid over four and most of the adults had too many memories to count at the community park.
A month later trucks arrived. Trucks with workers who dug, poured, cut, hammered until a huge mansion took shape. The pool was dug out and rebuilt with marble steps, gazebos, and other outbuildings, and the tennis courts were redone, one in clay, the other some composite.
The boys watched in disgust, "Our last year before heading off to college," Jerry hissed, "I heard it was some 70-year-old rich fuck from New Jersey."
"Why would an old guy like that need a pool, two tennis courts, and all that land?" Gordon asked.
"Maybe he has a cute granddaughter," Alex said hopefully.
"Or daughter. You know these rich guys, they all have these young trophy wives. Perhaps they have a daughter or two," Blair added.
Later that spring the trucks rolled out leaving a massive three-story mansion behind 10-foot walls, the sod was laid down and the chk-chk-chk of sprinklers echoed throughout the neighborhood. Then the moving vans arrived. Not just one, but three. All day the neighbors watched from across the street as men carried ornate furniture, chests, and boxes into the 15,000+ square foot palace. Who are these people? was on most of the people's lips.
Gordon had one of the better views as his bedroom window was above the wall and could see the front and side of the house. He'd be able to see who these people were when they arrived and if they had exotic cars.
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"Dude, get over here. The lights are on next door. They must have moved in last night," Gordon urged. "I'll call Blair you call Alex. We need to see who these people are!"
The four boys gathered in front of the two windows facing east overlooking the sprawling estate. "Man! I never thought in a million years I'd be getting up at six AM to watch the grass grow next door," Alex sighed. "Look, the lights went off in the room upstairs. Maybe they'll come out. I wonder what they drive?"
They took turns playing video games while one kept watch and a little after 9, Blair urged them over.
"Shit, is that him?" the boy looked through the binoculars and studied the old guy. "He handed them to Jerry, "Didn't you say he was 70? He looks a lot older than that."
The boy looked at the man heading over to the 8-car garage, "Wow! I'm guessing closer to 90." He put down the binocs, "Maybe a great-granddaughter?" he said sadly. Their hopes of a cute young thing their age were rapidly fading.
"At least he's got a nice car," Blair sighed as the Roll Royce Silver Cloud rolled up to the iron gates.
They were about to head down to the kitchen when Gordon took one last look, "Hang on, shit! Who is that? Daughter? Granddaughter?"
The three other boys fought over the binoculars, Jerry winning out, "Holy fuck! Are those real? Have we seen her before, you know on one of those reality shows?" He handed the glasses to Alex.
"I don't think so, but where's she going dressed like that, here?" he sighed as he passed the binocs over.
"How old is she? I'm guessing 25, maybe 30 tops. She looks like a natural blonde, I mean look at the colors, highlights in the hair. You never get those out of a bottle." Alex said.
"Man! How do you know these things?" Jerry asked as he grabbed the binocs. "Ok. I see what you are saying. Wow! Great ass. I hope she's a single 25-year-old. 18 - 25, that's not so bad," he sighed.
Blair laughed, "I don't think the age difference matters. She could be 18 same as us and she's way out of our league." He nodded, "What do you think...yes, they have to be real. Watch them bounce as she walks. Man! I love heels on girls."
Tiffany Seabanks looked around appraisingly. 'What was Walter thinking moving out of the city to this backwater?' she sighed. 'The Greensville Playhouse is the one cultural asset here?' She strode across the cobbled driveway regretting the 4" heels. She checked her appearance, pleased with the ensemble. White silk dress, silver necklace, earrings, bracelet, her platinum/diamond ring flashing in the sun. 'I hope the downtown has something to offer,' she sighed, 'but I'd better get out and see what Walter found so great about this place. If I'm stuck here without my friends I need to find something to do.'
She pressed the button and the closest garage door opened and her Tesla Roadster rolled out and stopped in front of her. Pleased the glowing white car matched her outfit, she climbed in unaware that four boys next door were watching.
"Oh shit!" Gordon gasped, "No panties! Dudes, she'd going commando." He jumped up, "We're going shopping."
The four boys spotted the White car in front of Hava Java so they parked up the street. As they were coming back, they spotted her coming out stopping to appraise the stores on Main Street through her large dark glasses.
Tiffany was oblivious to the stares from all the townsfolk. That was actually passable coffee. Not burned like that ubiquitous chain coffee, a sweet aftertaste, definitely some Ethiopian in there, she thought. Noticing the book store she nodded and walked down the street.