Chapter 10 #2
‘What do you want me to do? I can’t use the plow if it doesn’t work. ’
‘You better figure something out or you’re not going to have a business, at least not a snowplowing one.’
‘Okay, seriously, why are you lecturing me about this? I’m already stressed enough.’
‘I’m not lecturing you. I just know you tend to let things slide when shit doesn’t work out. You’d rather pretend it’s not happening than deal with it.’
‘I’m not pretending it’s not happening. I’m trying to fix it right now.’ I get back in the truck and check for any loose wires. ‘I’ll talk to you later.’
‘Hey, before you go, Nick told me you have some girl over there.’
‘Yeah. I found her on the road yesterday. Her car went into the ditch.’
‘And she’s still there?’
‘Well, yeah, where’s she gonna go? The hotels are booked and nobody’s supposed to be on the roads right now.’
‘Is she leaving when the storm ends?’
‘I don’t know. I assume she will, but she’ll have to get her car out of the ditch first.’
‘You’re living with a girl,’ Jason says, laughing. ‘Never thought I’d see that.’
‘I’m not living with her. She’s just staying with me for a few days.’
‘What’s she like?’
‘She’s nice. She’s been a good distraction from all the shit going on with the plow.’
‘You can’t be distracted when your business is at risk. You need to be a hundred percent focused on it until you turn it around.’
‘Yeah, got it,’ I say, annoyed he won’t stop lecturing me .
‘What about the house payment? Did you make it this month?’
‘Yeah,’ I lie. The truth is, I didn’t make it. I didn’t have the money. But I have some time before the bank starts sending me notices.
‘You’re not lying to me, are you?’ Jason asks.
‘I made the payment. Stop worrying about it.’
‘I’m worried because we could lose the house if you don’t pay.’
‘Like I don’t know this?’
‘I’m just saying, if you can’t make the payment, let me know. I’ll loan you the money to pay for it. I don’t want to get foreclosed on.’
I don’t want him giving me money. He’s already given me more than he should have for repairs and he had to make the last two house payments. I was counting on snowplowing jobs to bring in income, but it didn’t work out that way. This is our first big snowfall and now my plow is broken.
‘You know, maybe you should think about getting a roommate,’ Jason says.
‘Why the hell would I get a roommate?’
‘To help you pay the mortgage.’
‘How am I gonna work on the house with a roommate living here?’
‘It’s just an idea. If money isn’t coming in through your business, you’ll need to find another way to pay the mortgage.’
‘Yeah. Got it. Jason, I gotta go,’ I say, tired of talking about this.
‘Let me know what happens with the plow. ’
‘I will. Talk to you later.’ I end the call and toss my phone on the seat.
This is why I don’t like answering Jason’s calls.
He’s always telling me what to do. I know he’s got money invested in the house, but why can’t he cut me some slack?
I’m still learning. This is my first attempt to flip a house.
I didn’t plan on it taking this long or costing this much to fix up.
And I didn’t plan on going this long without making money.
Jason doesn’t seem to get that my business is unpredictable. At least in the summer you know the grass is going to grow, but in the winter you have to hope that it snows. If it doesn’t, or if your equipment breaks, you don’t make money.
I start the truck, then press the button on the controller to move the plow. I jump out and check it. The damn thing hasn’t moved.
‘What the hell?’ I mutter. ‘You worked last week. Why not now?’
Getting back in the truck, I try the controller a few more times. Nothing happens. I shut off the truck and get out, slamming the door shut.
I’m so damn angry. I grab a shovel and start shoveling the snow drift next to the garage. It’s wet, heavy snow, but I push through it like it weighs nothing, my anger over the plow fueling my strength.
‘Want some help?’ I hear someone say.
I turn back and see Kate standing in the garage, bundled up in my work coat, my Packers beanie pulled over her tiny head, and wearing a pair of my boots.
Even though I’m angry, seeing her dressed like that makes me laugh.
She looks so ridiculous. My boots come up to her thighs.
She’s got my hat folded over four or five times to fit her but it’s still falling down.
‘I’m good, but thanks,’ I tell her.
She looks around the garage. ‘Do you have another shovel?’
‘Kate, you’re not shoveling. It’s cold out here. Go inside where it’s warm.’
‘I want to be outside. When I’m in there by myself, I think about what happened and I really don’t want to think about that.’
I get what she means. When I’m alone in the house, my thoughts go to my lack of money and my failing business and then I start freaking out about losing my house. I was going to tell her to go back inside, but knowing why she wants to be out here, I feel bad sending her back in the house.
Jason would yell at me for doing this. He’d tell me I need to fix the mess I’m in so I don’t lose customers. But I don’t know how to fix it. And right now, walking in the snow with Kate sounds like a better plan than both of us being alone with our thoughts.