BOW Life Goes On #11

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San Diego, California

February 28, 1974 –

5:33 p.m. Pacific Standard Time

Picked up on the first ring: “ ‘Century twenty-One; Sophie Chen’.”

“Hi…” Mrs., Miss? “...Miss Chen. You called us. This is Mitchell Lipensky.”

“Mr. Lipensky! ‘Great’! I’ve been waiting for your call.”

“ ‘You’ve been waiting for my call’?” He questioned the youthful sounding voice of Sophie Chin. “I didn’t know that I was going to call until now.”

Getting right to the point: “Have you made an offer on a house yet?”

“No, but we’re working with another…”

“Doesn’t matter, did he… Your salesperson, a man?”

“Yes.”

“It doesn’t matter if you’re working with another broker so long as you do not purchase any property from me that he showed you first. And he did not show you anyplace you liked enough to make an offer on, did he?”

“Well...” begrudgingly “...there was one we liked…”

“But?”

“B...” conceding “...it was more than we wanted to pay at the time.”

“It’s a good thing because I’ve got your new home!”

“Excuse me!”

“Mister Lipensky, I have a ‘pocket listing’ I’ve been holding for almost a year waiting for the right buyers…

The phone held to both Mitchell and Marsha’s ears.

“What do you mean by, ‘the right buyers’?”

“Marsha… Okay to call you ‘Marsha’?”

“Sure.”

Marsha, the people that own this home have lived there for the past thirty-five years and raised their family in that home and as money is not the problem with them, finding the right family to purchase and live there is the problem.”

“Once it’s sold, what’s the difference?”

“The way the Sawyer’s see it– and knowing them as I do… Forgetting that I’m a real estate agent… Knowing them and the happiness they’d had in that home over the past thirty-five years, I can just about understand why they want the right family to continue on there.”

“And we’re that family? What makes you think so?”

*****

From the time Mitchell ended his affair with Elizabeth Herzon on November 22, 1963 and receicived permission from his wife to return home.

Driving from Downtown Chicago to DesPlains , Mitchell’s mind had been split between two factors: The horrific event of this day and what awaited him once he returned home.

Marsha’s mind also split between the horrific event of that day and how to react towards her husband once he returned home.

The knot lifting from her stomach the wife realized that she would not be losing her husband – whom she truly loved. And will not become a – in her mind, approaching middle aged divorcee with three children.

Surprising him… Actually shocking Mitchell, as entered his home, coming to him… No, rushing to him his wife’s head upon his shoulder she cried… Bitterly cried and Mitchell never knew if her sobs and tears were for their assassinated president or for his return…

On and off watching the four day ongoing saga of the Assassination of John F. Kennedy, the husband and wife sat side by side with hands held, with his arm across his wife’s shoulder with their hands held upon his thigh…

On his second night home, the husband and wife made love.

And for both, it was wonderful.

From the moment Mitchell walked through his front door, the affair with Elizabeth Herzon was ‘never’ mentioned and the husband and wife’s love was rekindled and fanned to flame.

***

“The way the Sawyer’s see it– and knowing them as I do… Forgetting that I’m a real estate agent… Knowing them and the happiness they’d had in that home over the past thirty-five years, I can just about understand why they want the right family to continue on there.

“And we’re that family? What makes you think so?”

“Mitch… Okay to call you ‘Mitch’?”

“We’re not that formal in Schamburg either. ‘Sure’!”

“When Alice called me I was surprised because we hadn’t spoken in years.”

“So?”

I couldn't get her to shut up about what a wonderful, loving couple you were and that your kids reflected that love, and I immediately thought of the Sayers...”

“ ‘Sayers’?”

“They own your new home, but we’ve got to talk to them first.”

“She says ‘she’s got our new home…” Mitchell said to Marsha...but we’ve got to talk to the old owners first.” Said more as a confirmation than an explanation.

“Don’t mean to be rude, Sophie...” Marsha said into the phone “… but how could you possibly know what Mitchie and I want.”

“Yes...” Sophie said confidently “...I know exactly what you’re looking for, about the price you want to pay, and I have it!”

“ ‘Really?’ You’ve got our new home, do you, without us even seeing it! That must have been ‘some’ conversation you had with Alice.”

“I know it sounds strange but I have… How can I say this, but I have kind of a second sense about people and listening to Alice I felt ‘something’ about you two.

“Tell you what, my office is about fifteen minutes away so what if I come on by now and pick you and Marsha up and I’ll show you the neighborhood and drive by your new home.

Picking up on the continual use of the word ‘home’ as opposed to ‘house’. “Hold on a minute.”

Speaking to Marsha,.“She wants to pick us up in about fifteen minutes so she can...” said rather sarcastically “...drive by our new home’.”

“What have we got to lose, Mitchie?... But I’d like to get out of these clothes and take a quick shower, and I think you would also. So ask if she can get here in, oh, about forty-five minutes.”

“Miss Chen…”

“Call me Sophie.”

“ ‘Sophie’. Marsha says, if it’s okay with you, to give us forty-five minutes.”

“Of course! Tell you what; I want you to see the neighborhood while it’s still light out so we’ll go there first then to ‘La Jolla’ to see the Sawyers,...Then I’ll take you to my favorite restaurent for dinner.”

“Okay!...Oh, yes! We’ve got to get to a Western Union office,”

“You house sold!”

“It did”

“Tell you what! I know exactly what to say so give me the name of your buyer and I’ll stop off and send the telegram in your names.”

“That’s really very nice, Sophie… ‘Linberger’.

“ ‘Linberger’.” Sophie repeated.

“Yeah.”

“Like the cheese?”

“Yeah, I guess.”

“Okay...” Sophie Chin said “...I’ll meet you in front at, uh, six-fifteen. Okay?”

“How’ll we know you?”

“I’ll know you!”

*****

“ ‘Mitchell’!” The door to the white ‘65 Cadillac Coupe Deville opening, “ ‘Marsha’!”

If Mitchell’s imagination had seen the youthful sounding ‘Sophie Chin’ as the dark haired, dark eyed, slim beauty as portrayed by ‘Nancy Kwan’ in the1960 movie, ‘The world of Suzi Wong’, that sure as hell wasn’t Sophie Chin.

 Surprising Marsha, “Hi!” Hugging her, then, “I’m Sophie!” She – shocking him – hugged Mitchell…

 Although sounding as though in her mid-twenties on the phone, truth be told Sophie had to be, at least, into her mid sixties. Height at about 5’2”, Sophie was, well, roly-poly would be a charitable description. Also, about as far from Mitchell Lipensky’s remembrance of ‘Suzi Wong’ as one can get, as opposed to Suzi’s long, straight-hanging shiny black hair, Sophie’s hair was cut short and as though ‘permed’, tightly curled ringlets haloed a round, dark completed, wrinkle free Chinese face.

 “Sophie, hi, we’re…”

 “Yes, I know, ‘you’re glad to meet me’.” Taking Marsha by the elbow, “You sit in front so we can talk.” Opening the back door for Mitchell, “I want it light enough for you to also see your new neighborhood, so we’ll talk as we drive.”

 Marsha watched as Sophie levered herself onto the sear where she had to sit straight up so she would have a clear view over the steering wheel – the bottom of the wheel appeared to be sitting on her breasts while the seat had to be projected completely forward so Sophie’s feet might reach the peddles.

 Squealing from the curb, the Cadillac easily merged with the oncoming evening traffic.

A bit ‘miffed’ at Sophie’s haughty attitude. “You keep saying ‘our house’...”

 “No…” speaking over her shoulder “...I keep saying your ‘home’ because ‘a house is not a home’.”

 “You don’t even know us, so how can you be so sure that you’ve found ‘our new home’?”

 Reaching upward to put her arm out the window, the Cadillac took a left turn.

 Her eyes flicking to the rear view mirror. “Let me tell you something about me.” Glancing at Mitchell “I am more concerned about my buyers...” she said forcefully “...than I am about myself!

 “If I do not have a ‘home’ to show my people I will not waste their time or mine. I don’t need the money all that badly and I’m the one that has to look at myself in the mirror each morning and each night and I flatly refuse to ‘sell’ you a house! I won’t even show a house unless I myself think of it as my buyers ‘home’ and not ‘just’ a ‘house’ that I’m showing.”

 Her eyes flicking to Mitchell in the rear view mirror again.

 “Alice and I had a long talk about you and your family and the prospects for the sale of your home there, and she thought it would probably go out pretty fast for very close to your asking…”

 “It sold this afternoon.”

 Glancing quickly at Marsha. “Yes, I know.” Bringing her eyes forward again. “Remember, I sent your acceptance telegram?”

 “So...” Marsha said “...tell us about ‘our new home’.”

 “I’ve known the Sawyers for years. As a matter of fact over the years they’ve bought a number of income properties through me and I’ve always admired their home and felt the love they’d put into it.”

 “The one we’re going to see now?” Marsha asked.

 “Yes. Really lovely people, I’ve known the Sawyers for close to twenty years. They own the ‘Mercedes Benz’ dealership in La Jolla and now that they’re older, they want to be closer to their dealership so we found another home overlooking the ocean and they’ve been living there for the past year.”

 Sitting up, turning her body towards Sophie. “You mean the house is vacant?”

 “Has been for a year with me as ‘property manager’ to keep everything ship shape.”

 Leaning forward, near speaking directly into Sophie’s right ear. “When could we move in?”

“Tomorrow.”

 Next BOW Life Goes On #12