Watch, Wait, Take

Chapter 16. Melody

We pulled up to the car shop I got out and thanked her for the ride and headed inside. Once I reached what must have been their reception desk, I was greeted by a tall, thin man, with chocolate brown hair and what would have been an afro had he not been white, I wasn’t sure if that’s what he was going for, but that’s what it looked like. There was a gap between his too front teeth and a tooth missing two teeth to the left of his front tooth. He looked spaced out and had bloodshot green eyes, heady bags beneath them, he was obviously high.

“Hi, I would like to buy a used car please” I said to him, but he appeared to look right through me.

“Jeff! In the back! Sorry ma’am, I’ll help you out. I’m Bill. Are you looking for anything particular?” Bill was a bold, white man, short and round and very alert-the opposite of Jeff infect. He could have been in his late 50’s.

“Just something reliable, to get me from A to B, something small-ish and doesn’t guzzle through fuel. I don’t want a rickety old banger either” I said with a slight smile.

“I have a few in mind, lets go and take a look. This way” he said and led me through the shop and out their backdoor to the ‘yard’ filled with card, the first part of the yard which I had to walk through was like a scrap heap, junk metal strewn everywhere, nuts and bolts littered the walk way we where taking past these old, rusty, pieces of car, there where cars with no hood, some no wheels others no engine, there was the odd tire and pedals littered about engines and engine parts where scattered through the big jumble, there was the odd pile of stuff dumped about the place, just odds and ends, nothing here looked like it could be very useful to anyone, it was just sat their rotting away, minding its own business.

We emerged from the scrap heap section into what appeared to be an old run down section; this is what I had meant earlier when I said I didn’t wasn’t a rickety old banger, this is what I was picturing. They looked like they would creak if you looked at them too hard, we then entered a much better section, a newer section, still used second hand cars but newer ones. This is much better.

“Do you have a price range Ma’am?” Bill asked pausing for a moment in our walk.

“Not specifically, I would say anywhere upwards from $500 really. As long as it’s reliable, small-ish and doesn’t guzzle fuel, really” I answered as I glanced around. 

“See anything you like so far?” Bill quizzed.

“Not particularly, I will just wonder and look for now, if that’s ok” I wanted him to leave me too it really, I felt pressured with him there.

“Sure, I’ll be back in my office if you need me, give me a shout” and with that he turned and headed back inside, leaving me alone staring at the cars, where to start? Now that was the question. 

I just dove into looking at the cars, pacing up and down, looking at the body work and size as a starting point, I kept going back to a Light blue, metallic Renault Cleo, the way it was sparkling in the light kept catching my eye, I loved the colour blue. I gave up and went back inside to find Bill.

“Hi Bill” I said in the doorway of his office, which was open. “I’ve seen one I like and would like a closer look, if you don’t mind?”

“Sure! Which one, I will grab the key.” He jumped up from behind his desk.

“Light blue, metallic. Renault Cleo.” I said turning to leave to room.

Bill unlocked his top draw in his desk with a key he fished from his pocket, retrieved another set of keys from the desk and crossed to a filing cabinet and unlocked it, opening the first draw he shuffled through the devitions until he reached ‘R’, he leafed through the ‘R’ section pulled out a key, slamming the filing cabinet shut he locked it and replaced the key in his top draw and locking the top draw in his desk, he looked up and smiled at me in a sheepish embarrassed sort of smile, that’s when I knew, he didn’t trust Jeff at all. Perhaps he thinks he would rob him to feed his next fix….why have an employee who you trusted so little? I wondered at Bill for a second, before giving him a knowing look. I smiled sympathetically at him.

“My Grandson” he said looking down “Family, eh, can’t choose them” He smiled a little lighter now but still sadness showed in his eyes. “Lead the way to this car you want to look at” He said heading out of the office and into the corridor where I stood watching him. I headed out the way I had come in and made a Beeline right for the Cleo.

“This one, it’s caught my attention, can I please look under the hood?”

Bill popped the hood and I had a quick look, I didn’t know much about cars, but I had learned to act like I did, ask questions, prod and poke around and things that look important and act confidently, that way they don’t seem to rip you off as much, I just hope they don’t ask me too many questions back, and use terminology I don’t understand, if they do use words I don’t understand, I just nod and ooh and oh then look like I am pondering of what they have said, when I get a moment alone I Google the words and find the meaning.

I checked the oil levels, shone the torch of my IPhone down so I could see more of the paraphernalia below, I looked and the stuff I know mainly, like the water tank, the window washing solution etc. I asked about the mileage and the horse power- although the answer meant nothing to me. I asked about the air-conditioning gas, when it was last refilled and when the car was last driven, when did he come into possession of the car. When was its last MOT done, how much petrol it uses per mile, I then circled the car looking at the tires and inspecting them closely for any bulges and flats, anything I could see sticking into the tire puncturing it, I asked how new the tires where and checked them all to make sure they weren’t bold. Once satisfied and felt he must be confident enough I knew enough about cars he couldn’t rip me off, I said I would take it if we can take it on a test drive, he agreed and said he will check the tire pressure and fuel before we leave.

Once we where in the car, behind the wheel I saw the tank was full and the inside wasn’t too dusty, there was a car freshener hanging from the rear view mirror, an orange colour, shaped like a Christmas tree, smelled like oranges faintly. I clocked the mileage on the dashboard and was happy it was a close enough figure to what he had told me himself. There was a radio installed with a CD player.

The wheel felt good, I liked the feel of it in my hands, and the hand break wasn’t too stiff it was a manual car, not automatic which pleased me even more.

I started the car, with ease and pulled out of the confines of his shop.

“You best direct me” I said to Bill without looking at him. “I don’t know this area at all”

“Take a left at these lights then first right” I followed Bills instructions and we did a figure of eight back to the shop.

“I’ll take the car” I said to Bill once we where stationary, I caressed the wheel.

“I’ll draw up the paperwork, if you would like to come into the office”

Once we where seated comfortably in the office paperwork all drawn up and signed I payed Bill $650 for the car I’d bartered him down from $799 by telling his we both knew the car wasn’t worth $799 and I would give him $600 for it, he settled for $650.

I drove back to the hotel using Google maps on my IPhone to get back. Next I need to find a place to live.

After parking in the parking lot for the hotel, I entered the hotel to see Lauren was there talking with Joe.

“Hey Joe, Hey Lauren” I smiled warmly at them both.

“Hey Emma” they both replied in unison.

“Why does it feel like I have walked in at a bad time? Are my ears burning?” I studied them.

“No, I was just telling Joe, I gave you a job” she smiled.

“Hey, thanks for dropping me off at that car dealership place, I got a new car from there” I smiled back at her, feeling eased now, maybe I’m getting paranoid, thinking they where talking negatively about me.

“That’s great!” Joe said beaming from ear to ear.

“Brilliant! Can we see it?” Lauren said smiling enthusiastically.

“Sure! It’s nothing lavish, its just a cheep little run around really” I lead them out to the parking lot and over to the little Cleo.

“Oh! I just love the colour!” Lauren exclaimed hopping about a little and clapping her hands. She always had so much energy.

“Very nice!” Said Joe.

“Hey, I was going to text you guys later, I’m thinking of having a small dinner party at mine tonight to celebrate the opening of my business soon, it would be a great time for you to meat the other therapists you will be working with, I will have some Neighbours and my brother will be there my sister might not make it but we will see.”

“Sure! I would love to, text me the address. What time would you like me, is there anything I can bring?”

“Just yourself, shall we say around 5pm?” 

“I’d love to too” Joe replied. Tonight is my night off and Sam is in working so suits me great”

“Perfect!” said Lauren “I’ll text the others. Emma, do you have a name for your car?”

“A name?” I said puzzled.

“Yes. A name. Something that beautiful needs a name!”

“Huummm, well, what about R2 sort for R2-D2. She’s little like R2, Star Wars is one of my favourite movies and although its not the deep blue of R2, its short and snappy.”

I was greeted by a confused, blank and bewildered expression from Lauren “You can’t call your car R2! Not after that squat squeaky little roly-poly box!” She squealed. 

“Ok, well what would you suggest?”

“Melody” She replied all most instantaneously. “She looks like a Melody. 

“Ok, Melody it is” I laughed. “Right I haven’t eaten yet so I had better get myself in gear. I will see you guys later tonight. If there a small diner near by?”

“Granny’s diner is just down the road, they do great food and my sister works there.” Lauren answered.

“I can second the food is good there” Joe said smiling. “see you guys later I better get back inside and get ready to clock off”

We both said by to Joe. “Mind if I come with you to Granny’s? I could to with a word with my sister, I can ask her to come tonight while I’m there.”

“Sure! It would be nice to have some company” I said “I’ll drive us if you like?”

“Sure, that be great, be nice to see Melody in action!” Lauren said.

We hopped in Melody and started down the street.

“Tell me about your sister, I didn’t know you had siblings”

“Yeah, I’m closer to my brother really, but me and my sister get on well. Her name is Danielle.”

“Must be nice to have a sister, I’m an only child and always wanted a sister”

“Well, you have one now” Lauren said smiling “Hey! I didn’t know Melody was a manual!”

“Yeah, she is, I prefer manuals to automatic, I feel more connected with the car, more in control, like its me driving not the car. I feel too lazy in an automatic.”

“I get that” Lauren nodded agreeably.