Angels & Imperfections

  Chapter 13

   

  “...I think we should go look at it together,” Christine concluded.

  She’d called a real estate agency and they’d suggested an office in a high rise, right on the south loop, just a couple of blocks east of Broadway.

  “Get this-it used to be an office for the ATF. Talk about security, it has bullet proof walls and windows, and places where cameras were mounted to watch the hallway approaches and the entrance. The cameras are gone, but the mounts and wiring are still in place. I’ll bet you’d like that.”

  “I’m not as paranoid as Uncle Sam, Christine. We just need more space, not a fortress.”

  “Fine, but it doesn’t cost any more than the other offices in the building. Prices are down right now in this economy. I think we can afford it. Come on, it might be fun.”

  I liked the way she had said “we” could afford it. It had been just “me” for too long.

  “OK, get an appointment and we’ll go look at it.”

   

  The building was ten stories tall. The first floor housed a bank, with attendant security. Two sets of elevators serviced the upper floors. The office in question was one of three on the sixth floor. The other offices on the sixth floor, housed two law firms, very upscale law firms.

  Christine was right. I saw where the cameras had been mounted at the end of the hall, right outside the heavy, beautiful walnut door of the office suite that had recently housed the ATF. There was a digital card reader mounted on the door, as well as a key lock.

  The stairs at this end of the building had a doorway nearby, and the restrooms were very convenient. I liked the whole set up. It was far and away better than my little space in a strip-mall about two miles away. I was pretty sure it was more than I deserved, probably more than I could afford, and I hadn’t even seen the actual office space yet.

  When I did see it, I was impressed. The front door opened to an oak paneled reception area, with windows at the back. There were two doors off the reception area, one on each side. The door on the right, led to a long room with windows all down the outside. The marks on the carpet, the variety of outlets and cable connections indicated there had been partitions to divide the room up into individual work stations. In the corner, there was a small area with a vinyl floor that had clearly been a break room area. There was also a door that opened out into the hallway. It would have allowed ATF employees to enter and leave the work area, without having to go through the reception area. That door had a card reader and key lock on the outside, as well.

  The door on the left side of the reception area, led into a single office panelled in walnut, with built in book cases. One wall was windows. I took a moment to enjoy the view. South Tyler in particular is heavily forested. The view from up here was like looking at a park or nature preserve. I was reminded, like so many things in life; it was just a curtain, blocking off the view of other things. Under the canopy of trees, were the homes and businesses of thousands of people.

  In this office, there was a door in a walnut paneled wall that led into another room nearly as large as the office. I couldn’t tell what it had been used for. That room had a door out into the hallway, set up the same way as the other doors. It appeared to be useful for entering or leaving the office suite, without using the front entrance, just like on the other side. I figured all together, the suite was at least 1,750 square feet. My current office was only about the size of the reception area in this suite. I imagined properly furnishing a space this big could become very expensive, very quickly.

   

  After we looked at the office suite, I took Christine to lunch at Chuy’s.

  “If you can get a six month lease for less than two grand a month, we’ll take it,” I said.

  “Wahooo!” She exclaimed.

  “Well hold on, you don’t know if we can get it for those terms.”

  “Oh yes we can! I already got the management company to commit to twelve fifty a month, on a six month lease. They’ll be thrilled to get it leased. It’s been sitting empty for more than six months.”

  She was beaming at me.

  “I can do all the decorating. I’ll make it look like you are the most successful P.I. in the city. Just you wait. You’ll see. This is a really good thing.”

  “I agree, Christine, you’ve convinced me. I’m kind of excited about it myself. And you won’t have to worry about losers like Walter anymore.”

  I immediately regretted having mentioned Walter. Her face clouded up, and I felt low because I had upset her.

  “Speaking of Walter, if I were you, I’d teach him a lesson he would never forget. He could have ruined your business, not to mention the way he treated me. I can’t stand to let him get away with it. Let’s punish him! You know what they say about payback.” She suggested.

  “No, we won’t.”

  “Why not, I know you aren’t afraid of him. Are you afraid he’d send his goons?”

  “No, that’s not it. I don’t believe in getting even. I believe because I’ve been forgiven, I should forgive others.”

  “Oh, for crying out loud! Do you just let scumbags and low-life’s walk all over you?”

  “No, I don’t. I just don’t allow myself to take revenge for offenses. I remember that I’m no better than they are, really. I have said and done things I regret. I have on occasion treated people badly. Don’t get me wrong, I get mighty annoyed when people act like idiots, drive poorly, act rudely, and play their music too loud. I try to remember I’ve been guilty of all those things myself, at one time or another, everybody has. When people deliberately offend me, I choose not to hold on to the offense, I try to let it go, like water rolling off a duck’s back. ”

  She considered my response for a moment.

  “Well, I’d like to think I’m better than some people I know.” She said.

  I nodded.

  “Yep, we all do. Sometimes looking down on others makes us feel better about ourselves. When we compare ourselves to others, and start feeling superior, we forget that everybody sins and falls short. No matter how good we think we are, our own righteousness is no better than dirty diapers, from God’s point of view. Nobody can measure up to God’s standard of righteousness. That’s why He sent Jesus to pay the price. Only Jesus was perfect. Nobody else can ever be good enough. ”

  She shook her head.

  “You religious types crack me up. People like Walter are just wicked and self-serving.”

  “We’re all self-serving, Christine, and we all have a little streak of wickedness in us. If we start by seeing our own limitations and failings, we get along better with other people. Besides, what Walter did actually benefitted us.”

  “…How’s that?”

  “Well, you work for me now, Christine. We’re getting to move into a great new space, and Walter’s foolish behavior is paying for the move. Mr. Simpson felt so bad about what Walter did he gave me a bonus check. It’s enough money to pay for the new office.”

  She grinned.

  “Maybe there is a little justice in the world.”