A week went by and the prospective buyers never called back. So, yesterday, we're at my brother-in-law's house and at 2:13pm, I get a call. "Hello?"
"Hey, Ms. Gardner, this is Oakley." "Oakley? How are you?" "I'm fine. I just called to see if we can come see your lake house this afternoon. My parents came to church and have some time." In my head, I'm telling him to go f*&!k himself, but instead I say, "I'm surprised to hear from you. When we didn't get a call this week, we thought your dad wasn't interested." "He just couldn't get time until today," he tells me very matter-of-factly. In my head I'm saying, "You inconsiderate pr*&K!" Instead I say, "Hold on a minute while I talk to Larry. I'm in Chapin right now." After a minute of consulting with my husband, I get back on the phone. "OK, Oakley, I can be at the house at 3:00." "Great. My dad said that works for him too. See you then." Really? I think to myself. It works for him, huh? Just because he's a judge doesn't mean he can waste our time or leave us hanging. But, I got in the truck and drove home.
All the way home, my stomach was filled with butterflies. What does this mean? Are these people really serious? Will we end up selling just when I turned the key in my head to keep the lake house? I just let myself get excited about redecorating and thinking about what new things to buy: lighting fixtures and cabinet hardware. Just this morning I allowed excitement to enter my heart. Now what? What kind of sick joke is God playing on us? To the extreme, I'm thinking, "Is this like: Oh Abraham, kill your only son to prove you love me...Just kidding!" God. I know this is blasphemous, but that's where my head is going with this stuff.
Anyway, I arrive at the house and there are two trucks already in the yard. Holy crap I'm thinking. Well, I have time to get the key and open the house. I waved to the young wife sitting in her truck (the one I was sure wasn't interested in living here). She waved and smiled back. What kind of double agent is she? I unlock the house to two screaming, barking, crazy dawgs and smell this god-awful smell. I didn't want to seem presumptuous by hurrying up and lighting candles to mask the smell because I couldn't find dog pee or anything in a quick scan. So, I just said, "F*&!k it", and walked out to meet them.
Oakley's oldest son and daughter were running around and his parents were just lovely people. They were normal, country folk: very open, happy-seeming, friendly people. The judge even showed me a picture of a little bunny he caught for his grandkids when he was bush-whacking in his yard. Very sweet. The oldest little girl said, "I just love this space." Really? I'm thinking. What a grown up, cute little thing. So I offered, "Really? Well let me show you something." I led Grandma and the two kids to my hideaway under the Camilia trees. I told them I created it for our kids, but they weren't interested. In the end, I fessed up that I really created it for the child in me. They loved it. The boy's imagination just shot off like a jet creating games they could play under there. Grandma said it was just like the places they played as children. She was about my age. They touched my heart!
In the end, we still don't know if they will offer to buy it. We had a wonderful conversation, and the judge said the place had great potential. I told them it was a place filled with Love, and that Love lived here. It will take a very special person to recognize it's potential and to live in that Love to buy it. And, I told the judge that if he was really interested, to make us an offer to give us something to think about. I stressed that time is off the essence because we have a refinance package in the works and we don't want to get caught up in that and not be able to get out of it. If his gut told him he should buy it, he should make us an offer fast.
They left, and I sat reeling. I called Larry and relayed what happened. We're both scratching our heads, but I told him, "I can't go here. Let's just forget this ever happened and move ahead with our plans. I can't stand this see-saw anymore. I have to let this go and move on. If they come back, great. If not, then "no harm, no foul." What else can we do? We're leaving for Rhode Island tomorrow. He said, "If they make an offer after we're in deep with this refinance, then the price just went up." I said, "OK."
I'm calling the builder for a meet this morning.
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