$100000 - Part 11

My mind was preoccupied with the money. Where were the documents? Was it a bad joke? If it was a joke, that would be the last time I met Melanie, I swore.

The table was clean. I had kept everything in order. The dishes, bowls and cups were ready. "I didn't expect this," she said.

Melanie was happy that I cared to clean the dining room and table for her.

She sat on a chair and religiously opened the carry bag. She took out four hot packs, placed them on the table and began to unpack them.

I sat next to her and said, "You have brought a restaurant. What is the menu, madam?"

"Your favorites, sir," she said and bent her head slightly. "Crab cakes, lobster bisque soup, garnish salad, barbecued chicken breast, seafood pasta, rice, shrimp curry and banana cream pie."

She poured the hot lobster bisque soup into the soup bowls. She did not allow me to help myself. She served me as we had the food.

Melanie talked about her family, my family, our school days and our friends.

I did not like to listen to anything other than the money. But, I listened to her. I spoke to her. I laughed with her. I put the Academy Award winners to shame with my fine performance.

Nothing was on my head except the money.

When the lunch was over, we cleaned the dishes and appreciated the food.

Melanie wiped her satin lips with her silk kerchief. I was not in a mood to envy the kerchief.

She sat on a chair in the living room and crossed her legs as I sat on the chair opposite to her.

She looked at her watch and exclaimed, "It is quarter to four! I lose my sense of time when you are with me."

"I lose my sense of time even when I think of you," I said with a smile.

She blushed again.

I thought, 'What happened to the money? If Ralph does not want to give $50,000, I will be happy with a lesser amount - any amount.'

I did not want to initiate the discussion on money, though that was the only thing on my mind at that particular moment.

The mercury was rising. I thought I could withstand the pressure only for a few more seconds.

"Bill, I went to Ralph's office at half past One," Melanie began.

At last, at last!

Melanie continued, "Ralph was a Small Business Loan Analyst in the Country Bank. If he thought a project was useful to the community and the borrower was honest, he gave the loan without a second thought. His 'where eagles dare' attitude landed him in trouble. He lost his job last year."

"The bank must care for its shareholders and depositors. You can't blame the bank for showing Ralph the door." I defended the bank.

She swabbed her lips with the delicate tip of her tongue and said, "But he was lucky. His rich aunt bequeathed him a big piece of land in Redmond. It was worth six hundred thousand dollars but there were no buyers."

After a pause, she said, "Last year Microsoft built their new development center near his land. The news drove the land price to the roof. The land became a six bagger within a few months and he made three million dollars."

"Stock market and real estate can make you a prince or pauper in a night," I said and felt sorry that I did not have a rich aunt.