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Tim Meneely
2026-05-07 09:55:03 -04:00
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commit 111f4fc37a
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The Folk.scriv/Files/Data/6246154F-D814-422F-8E7C-4842E7B55046/content.rtf
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{\colortbl;\red0\green0\blue0;\red255\green255\blue255;\red128\green128\blue128;}
\paperw12240\paperh15840\margl1800\margr1800\margt1440\margb1440\f0\fs24\cf0
\pard\plain \tx0\tx360\tx720\tx1080\tx1440\tx1800\tx2160\tx2880\tx3600\tx4320\fi360\ltrch\loch {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 She was, Jake thought, the least attractive human being he\loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8217\'92d ever met.}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 Since she was looking around, presumably assessing the house, he had a moment to look at her through the window, and he used it to question himself about that initial impression. He\loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8217\'92d known people who didn\u8217\'92t, physically, have much going for them, and hadn\u8217\'92t reacted to any of them this way. He wondered why his reaction was different for her, why she repulsed him so. She was tall and broad shouldered, but no more so than Nancy, and he thought Nancy was the most attractive person he knew. }
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 Since she was taking her time assessing the house, he had a moment to look at her through the window, and he pondered that initial impression. He was repulsed. He\loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8217\'92d known people who didn\u8217\'92t, physically, have much going for them, and hadn\u8217\'92t reacted to any of them this way. What was different about her? She was tall and broad shouldered, but no more so than Nancy, and he thought Nancy was the most attractive person he knew. }
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 It was the total lack of joy, he finally decided. This woman had no light in her eyes, not even a hint of twitch to her lips. She didn\loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8217\'92t just look unhappy, she looked determined to stay that way.}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 When she began impatiently eying his doorbell he decided it was time to open the door.}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 \loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8220\'93Hello,\u8221\'94 he said, trying to sound pleasant.}
@@ -12,24 +12,31 @@
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 She didn\loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8217\'92t move. \u8220\'93Nobody told me you had a doctorate.\u8221\'94 Explanation was demanded.}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 Again he chuckled, though it sounded a bit forced in his own ears. \loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8220\'93I\u8217\'92m not surprised. In a small town people think the only real doctors are the medical ones. Of course it\u8217\'92s different for you in academia.\u8221\'94 He gestured, trying to look gracious. \u8220\'93Won\u8217\'92t you please come in?\u8221\'94}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 \loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8220\'93Where\u8217\'92d you get it? Your degree?\u8221\'94}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 \loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8220\'93Carnegie Mellon,\u8221\'94 he said. \u8220\'93In physics, if you can believe it. Not exactly applicable to my present life.\u8221\'94}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 \loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8220\'93Hmph,\u8221\'94 she said. He had a prestigious degree from a prestigious school. Her degree, the private detective\u8217\'92s report said, was from a tiny school in central Indiana that had since lost its accreditation. One step above clipping a mail order coupon from the back of a magazine, the report said, but a small step.}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 \loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8220\'93Carnegie Mellon,\u8221\'94 he said. \u8220\'93In theoretical physics, if you can believe it. Not exactly applicable to my present life.\u8221\'94}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 \loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8220\'93Hmph,\u8221\'94 she said. He had a prestigious degree from a prestigious school. Her degree, the private detective\u8217\'92s report said, was from a tiny school in central Indiana that had since lost its accreditation. One step above clipping a mail order coupon from the back of a magazine, the report said, but a small step. And she wasn\u8217\'92t, for that matter, an adjunct professor at IUP. She was renting an office in one of their disused administration buildings.}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 Since he wanted her to be friendly \hich\f0 \emdash \loch\f0 if that was even possible \hich\f0 \emdash \loch\f0 Jake didn\loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8217\'92t pursue discussion of any of this. He simply waiting, holding the door with his left hand out to invite her in, and started to feel foolish.}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 Finally, still glaring at him as if he\loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8217\'92d deceived her, she stepped inside. \u8220\'93I have questions for you,\u8221\'94 she snapped.}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 \loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8220\'93About my education?\u8221\'94 Jake was now sincerely confused. }
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 \loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8220\'93No, of course not,\u8221\'94 she said, waving her clipboard. \u8220\'93Why would I care about that when nobody else does? About the community behind your house. The little people, as the locals call them.\u8221\'94}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 \loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8220\'93No, of course not,\u8221\'94 she said, waving her clipboard. \u8220\'93Why would I care about that? About the community behind your house. The little people, as the locals call them.\u8221\'94}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 \loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8220\'93May I get you something to drink? Ice water, or tea?\u8221\'94}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 \loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8220\'93No, no,\u8221\'94 she said. \u8220\'93This isn\u8217\'92t a social call. It\u8217\'92s academic research.\u8221\'94 }
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 Although the report said she was forty-eight years old, Jake would have guessed she was much older. His grandmother had acted more youthful at ninety.}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 He steered her to the dining room table and held a chair for her until she sat. Sitting across from her, he said, \loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8220\'93I\u8217\'92m afraid I\u8217\'92m not going to be much help to you.\u8221\'94}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 \loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8220\'93Why not?,\u8221\'94 she wasped. \u8220\'93People say you\u8217\'92re the one who knows. Somebody said you make your money off this community. You and\u8221\'94 \hich\f0 \emdash \loch\f0 she looked at her clipboard \hich\f0 \emdash \loch\f0 \u8220\'93a Miller family. They\u8217\'92ve been prolific.\u8221\'94}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 He imagined the matriarch of that family listening at the kitchen door. At least he hoped she was, because he\loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8217\'92d want to discuss the visit with her.}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 \loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8220\'93Why not?,\u8221\'94 she wasped. \u8220\'93People say you\u8217\'92re the one who knows. Somebody said you make your money off this community. You and\u8221\'94 \hich\f0 \emdash \loch\f0 she looked at her clipboard \hich\f0 \emdash \loch\f0 \u8220\'93a Miller family. There are a bunch of them. Must breed like rabbits.\u8221\'94}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 He imagined the matriarch of that family listening at the kitchen door. At least he hoped she was, because he\loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8217\'92d want to discuss the professor\u8217\'92s visit with her.}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 \loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8220\'93If you\u8217\'92ve been asking questions,\u8221\'94 he said while trying to look pleasant, \u8220\'93I imagine you\u8217\'92ve learned that folks around here like their privacy. Myself included. It\u8217\'92s one of the privileges of living in a rural community.\u8221\'94}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 \loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8220\'93Humph,\u8221\'94 she said. Without asking permission, she stood and crossed into his parlor, to a back window. \u8220\'93You\u8217\'92ve got a big playground out here. I see people in and out all the time. What\u8217\'92s the deal with that? Some kind of public park?\u8221\'94}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 He stood and walked to stand beside her. \loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8220\'93It\u8217\'92s not technically public, but it\u8217\'92s open to anyone from around here to use. My family has a lot of land\u8221\'94 \hich\f0 \emdash \loch\f0 }
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 \loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8220\'93Over a thousand acres!\u8221\'94 she said. \u8220\'93That\u8217\'92s unheard of in this part of Pennsylvania. Farms are seventy acres, eighty at most.\u8221\'94}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 He paused until he was sure she was done, and then continued as if she hadn\loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8217\'92t spoken. \u8220\'93And we share these facilities with the community. It was a priority for my grandmother and my mother.\u8221\'94}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 She peered. \loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8220\'93Tennis court, swimming pool \hich\f0 \emdash \loch\f0 what all is out there?\u8221\'94}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 He smiled. She found a way to make the most reasonable question into a rude demand. Pointing, he said, \loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8220\'93The swimming people is by arrangement only, for safety. We provide a lifeguard for groups. There\u8217\'92s a trap shooting range up behind that barn for which we also require arrangements in advance. The rest of it is open all the time. The court you\u8217\'92re seeing used to be tennis, now it\u8217\'92s pickleball. There\u8217\'92s a children\u8217\'92s playground, and badminton. Horseshoes and corn hole over there. Inside that barn there\u8217\'92s a ten meter range for air guns, no firearms. And over there\u8221\'94 \hich\f0 \emdash \loch\f0 he pointed \hich\f0 \emdash \loch\f0 \u8220\'93are two trail heads. One is gentle, about a mile without serious hills. It\u8217\'92s very pretty, with flowering shrubs and streams. Some beavers have been flirting with it, and we\u8217\'92re hopeful. The other is five miles and somewhat demanding. Then there are several acres for general use. Picnics, things like that.\u8221\'94}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 He stepped away, back toward the dining room, but she stopped him by saying, \loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8220\'93You pay to maintain all this just because you\u8217\'92re a\u8221\'94 \hich\f0 \emdash \loch\f0 hampered by the clipboard, she made awkward air quotes \hich\f0 \emdash \loch\f0 \u8220\'93\u8216\'91nice guy\u8217\'92? Do you know what this reminds me of? Plantations, that\u8217\'92s what. Where they had slaves to do all the work.\u8221\'94 }
\par\plain \f0\fs24\b0\i0}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 He paused until he was sure she was done, and then continued as if she hadn\loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8217\'92t spoken. \u8220\'93And we share these facilities with the community. Community was alway a priority for my grandmother and my mother.\u8221\'94}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 She peered. \loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8220\'93So you\u8217\'92ve got a tennis court, a swimming pool \hich\f0 \emdash \loch\f0 what all is out there?\u8221\'94}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 He smiled. She found a way to make the most reasonable question into a rude demand. Pointing, he said, \loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8220\'93The swimming people is by arrangement only, for safety. We provide a lifeguard for groups. There\u8217\'92s a trap shooting range up behind that barn for which we also require arrangements in advance, and a ten meter air rifle range inside the barn. The rest of it is open all the time. The court you\u8217\'92re seeing used to be tennis, now it\u8217\'92s pickleball. There\u8217\'92s a children\u8217\'92s playground, and badminton. Horseshoes and corn hole over there. And over there\u8221\'94 \hich\f0 \emdash \loch\f0 he pointed \hich\f0 \emdash \loch\f0 \u8220\'93are two trail heads. One trail is gentle, about a mile without serious hills. It\u8217\'92s very pretty, with flowering shrubs and streams. Some beavers have been flirting with it, and we\u8217\'92re hopeful. The other is five miles and somewhat demanding. Then there are several acres of grass, ballfields and a couple pavilions, for general use. Picnics, things like that.\u8221\'94}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 He stepped away, back toward the dining room, but she stopped him by saying, \loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8220\'93Do you know what this reminds me of? Plantations. Where they had slaves to do all the work.\u8221\'94 }
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 Jake felt as if he\loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8217\'92d been slapped. This was dangerous territory. He gave himself a little mental shake and replied, \u8220\'93What an odd thing to say. Have you published work about plantations? I\u8217\'92d be interested in reading it.\u8221\'94}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 She had not published anything whatsoever, the private detective had told him. Jake figured the best defense was a good offense, and he needed defense.}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 Her ugly face flushed. \loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8220\'93It was just a general observation. Obvious to any intelligent person.\u8221\'94}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 \loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8220\'93Ah,\u8221\'94 he said. \u8220\'93Well, Dr. Kessler, we\u8217\'92re neighbors, and I wish we could be friends, but you seem disinclined to accept my hospitality. It\u8217\'92s time for you to go, but my door is always open to you\u8230\'85 if you\u8217\'92re coming in peace.\u8221\'94}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 \loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8220\'93You\u8217\'92re throwing me out? You haven\u8217\'92t answered a single question I\u8217\'92ve asked.\u8221\'94}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 He opened his front door and stood beside it. \loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8220\'93Good bye, Dr. Kessler.\u8221\'94}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 She strode to the door, but stopped directly in front of him. Pointing to his nose, she said, \loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8220\'93I don\u8217\'92t give up. You\u8217\'92ll find I can be very unpleasant until I get my way.\u8221\'94}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 He closed the door gently, in the process pushing her out like hemorrhoid cream from a tube. When the door finally latched he closed his eyes and muttered, \loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8220\'93That\u8217\'92s what I\u8217\'92m afraid of.\u8221\'94}}