"I'm going to buy a house," Sheila said.
Her brother didn't even look up from the legal document he continued to read, "You can't afford a house," he said, "Unless it's in Timbuktu."
"That's between me and my lender," she said, "I'll need my third of the money from Mom's estate."
"It's invested for you so you have something for your old age."
He always said that. "My money will do better in real estate." She stared at the bald spot on the top of his head. "Escrow closes in thirty days. I'll need a statement of my account and a certified check for my portion to put into the bank before I sign papers."
He looked up and said, "No."
She wanted to scratch his eyes out, "You can't say no-it's my-I'll get an attorney."
"Sheila, your life has been a series of bad - strike that - mediocre choices. You're a mature woman and you have a job an amoeba could do."
"My job gives me the flexibility to travel whenever I want and has nothing to do with this."
"If you can't pay your mortgage and the bank forecloses, your nest egg will be gone. Then what will you do when you need special care in your old age?"
In the worst case scenario, she thought, I'd never come to you. She said, "I can always sell the place if I have to."
"The real estate bubble is going to burst. Let's face it, you and your baby brother, the monk, have no sense when it comes to money. You would have spent your share on shopping sprees and Tom would have given his to The Church, as if Rome needed it. Mom knew that. That's why she made me executor. If it wasn't for me-"
"-there wouldn't even be an estate," Sheila finished for him. After a moment she added, "Tom is not a monk. He's a priest. An excellent priest. You didn't even have the decency to come to see him the last time he came home."
"I don't have time for people I can't make money on."
Richard was her older brother, but at moments like this, she wanted to strangle him. He smiled as if that was the end of the matter and turned his attention back to the papers on his desk. When she didn't get up and leave he said, "Something else?"
Sheila stood up, "You're really a shit head. But you can't bully me. Not this time. I'll be back one week from today-"
Richard held up his hand to stop her. It was maddening that he refused to look up at her as he spoke. He said, "Even if I were inclined to hand money over to you, I'd need at least two weeks to convert your stocks and bonds into cash."
"Okay. Two weeks from today. No longer. I'll be here at ten in the morning to pick up the statement and a check. You better have both or else-"
"Or else what? You'll get an attorney?"
She slammed her hand down on his desk, "Look at me."
He actually jumped and looked up. She loved that.
She said, "Don't fuck with me, Richard. If you do, you'll be sorry. Just have the statement and check ready. Ten o'clock in the morning. Two weeks from today."
She left him, smiling to herself at his look of complete astonishment.
Well now, can't wait for her to go back next week. Keep it coming!!
Posted by: She | August 04, 2006 at 01:31 PM
Where have I heard that comment before????
"I don't have time for people I can't make money off on!"
Posted by: She | August 06, 2006 at 07:20 AM