Visitors

Yes kitty, I’ll get you your dinner. I don’t know if you deserve a treat tonight, though. You sure didn’t like the neighbor kid. His mom was just bringing us some cake to welcome us to the neighborhood. I don’t even think he pulled your tail that hard. He was just trying to pet you. At least you only batted at his head and didn’t tag him too bad. His mother was understanding, but the expression on her face as she left said she wasn’t coming back any time soon. I’m sure I’ll see her often if I decide to stay here. She mentioned she was divorced at least three times in the ten minutes she was here. What little bit of attractiveness she had was completely hidden by the thin veil of desperation hovering around her. Kitty, you could sense it couldn’t you. Did the smell of her desperation send you skittering under the couch or did her two-year-old tottering around the living room put the fear of God in you?
 Well, I’m not ready to take on that project. Not that I’m not interested in settling down and having kids, it’s just not the right time for me to start the process. Of course she might have been offended when I didn’t offer her a tour of the house. She sure was curious about it. I didn’t realize most of the neighborhood haven’t seen the inside of the house. I’m glad I had the excuse of the construction to keep her isolated to the living room. We’re not technically living in a hardhat area, but there are enough holes in the walls I was able to persuade her she would appreciate the house more when it’s totally fixed up. I think I’ll like it better when it’s fixed up, too. I’m tired of all the cold spots.
Mom brought me a home cooked meal today. I think she’s worried about me living in this house without any electricity. I tried to convince her the generator gave me everything I needed to survive, but it didn’t help that the damn thing kicked off in the middle of her reheating her lasagna. It was worth putting up with her coddling to have a substantial meal. She wanted to leave me with the leftovers, but I don’t trust the generator to keep the refrigerator running long enough to keep bacteria from growing in the food.
I actually showed mom around the house. Kitty, did you know she has never been inside this house. Old man Rivers lived here long before mom and dad moved into the neighborhood. Mom said when they first moved into the house her and dad tried to make friends with Rivers, but then I was born and they both got so busy with their careers they didn’t have time to think about an eccentric hoarder.
Did you see mom’s eyes light up when she saw the spare bedroom? I know she hates living in that apartment. She wants a house again. I don’t know if she could manage the yard on her own. She could easily afford this place.
I can’t believe she didn’t feel how cold the basement is. I don’t think it even bothered her at all. She laughed when I told her about the toilet. I think Mark is going to add a bedroom and a bathroom down there. The basement doesn’t seem to bother mom. I might try to convince her to split the cost of the house with me. It might cut into my game though. “Hey, Claire, do you want to come over tonight? Don’t make too much noise, though. My mom is in the basement sleeping. No, I’m not a serial killer, I swear.
I saw Claire again today. I just about ran into her when I left the gas station with my breakfast burrito this morning. She asked me for a cigarette. You know, for a moment I was almost disappointed I don’t smoke. I felt like a twelve-year-old boy seeing his first boob when I stuttered out cigarettes would kill her. She laughed it off so I don’t think I made too much of a fool of myself.
Do you think we can convince her to come over for dinner once the house is wired? I might have to have mom come over and make her lasagna. That wouldn’t be weird would it? Claire seems like the type of girl you could take home to your mother.
The wiring will be done tomorrow. At least we won’t have to spend the next 19 days in the dark. Let’s get to sleep kitty.