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“I speak and write six modern languages and several that are old and dead.”
“You write and speak them?”
“Yes, sir. I’m currently learning two more.”
“Just because?”
“I do have a lot of time on my hands,” Dawson said with a shrug. “Since I love learning languages, I always have something to do. Mostly, it allows me to hang out at the library for hours without getting kicked out. It’s a super useful skill if you have the education to go along with it, but since I don’t, it’s as useless as a tent in the snow.”
“It's a unique skill,” Henry said in contemplation. “I can’t believe they don't need someone like you within the government.”
“They do,” Dawson agreed. “The problem is, I struggle with high-stress situations now. Interpreting at a hospital? No problem. Doing it at the UN for diplomats? That would be a problem.”
“I have an idea, but I need to run it past some people before I say anything.” Henry looked around, and when he noticed Irving and me by the firepit, he motioned us over.
“How is your evening going?” I asked the question as though I hadn’t listened to their entire conversation.
“Enlightening,” Henry said. “Dawson tells me he’s applied to live here.”
Dawson gave Irving a nod as permission to confirm. “He did. He qualifies for the housing as set forth by the committee, and he is also a veteran with disabilities, so we have funding to subsidize his apartment. I had hoped to move him in and have him work as the buildings’ maintenance manager, but things have gotten tied up.”
“Are the apartments move-in ready?”
“Some are and some aren’t. We’re still waiting to see about the accessibility concerns.”
I thought using the word concerns was a bit too kind of Irving, so it was good that he was answering Henry and not me.
“I ask because I’d like to move Dawson into an apartment to keep him in Bells Pass. He has a unique skill set we could utilize in multiple ways within the local municipalities. He’s thinking about leaving, and we don’t want that.”
“I agree,” I said, just in case they wanted my opinion.
“We have a finished studio available on the second floor. It’s small but efficient, and there’s no one else up there right now. Hazel and I have apartments on the first floor.”
Dawson vibrated with hope as he stood beside me. If we won Henry over, the rest would fall into place like dominos.
“From what you said at the meeting last week, everything is in place regarding insurance and utilities?”
“It is, sir. Of course, the building is insured, and the utilities will be charged to each apartment. Laundry services aren’t available in this building yet, but they'll be hooked up once the construction is approved.”
“Do you have time now to give us a tour? I want to take a closer look.”
Irving glanced up at me, and I nodded, so he turned back to Henry. “Absolutely, as long as we aren’t breaking any rules with the council.”
“Let me worry about the council, son. Are you up for a tour, Dawson?”
Dawson’s eager nod was hard to miss. “I’ve been curious to see inside one of the upstairs apartments. Renovating a place like this had to be tricky.”
“It wasn’t as hard as you might think,” I said, leading the way into New Beginnings. I held the door open for Irving and Star as they rolled through. “The reality is, there are so many empty buildings all across the US that could be converted into low income and family style housing. There’s even money available to do it.”
“Sure, but where there’s no profit, there’s no interest,” Dawson said as we took our coats and hats off. “They’d rather build brand new buildings they can charge thousands in rent for every month than house the people who made sure they had the right to do so. Us veterans call it theprofits over people theory.”
“You’re not wrong,” I agreed. “It’s the same in all parts of our country.”
“That’s why I want to make our housing project a model others can use as an example,” Irving said as he urged Star forward. “Why don’t you both grab coffee before we start the tour.”
The two men turned toward the table where Indigo filled cups for those looking for a warm-up. Dawson and Henry continued to chat as they fixed their coffee, and I couldn’t stop the smile that worked its way across my face.
“I don’t know what’s happened, but I’m afraid to blink and risk it being a dream,” Irving whispered as he rolled his chair on the rug to dry the wheels.
