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“I know it ain’t safe, but it’s all I got. Ain’t got nowhere to go. My daughter lives in Illinois. My wife’s been gone for years now. Friends are dead. Ain’t got nowhere.” Ghost turned to cigar man.
“What’s your name?”
“Dunbar. Carl Dunbar.”
“He’s the one that’s tryin’ to get me out,” said Mr. Houston. “Mean as a snake, that one. I think he was the one that tripped me last week. Cut up my arm and bruised my knees. Nice lady in apartment one-forty helped me and bandaged me up.”
“You tripped an old blind man?” roared Max. “You bastard! You think that’s okay to do? I should call the cops right now.”
“No! No, it was an accident. I swear.”
“Let me tell you what you’re going to do,” said Ghost. “You’re going to call a work crew right now. They’re going to get here with paint, carpeting, and all their tools and fix this place. Today. If they don’t, Mr. Houston will be living in your apartment.”
“What? No, you can’t do that!”
“Watch me,” said Ghost. “Make the call. Now!”
Dunbar called the workers, telling them to get their asses over there as fast as possible. When they started the work, it was clear they’d been prepared to fix up the apartment that very day. The carpet was ready and pre-cut, the paint was prepared, the replacement sink, all of it.
“Ain’t gonna do no good,” said Mr. Houston. “I appreciate it. More than you know, but you’ll leave, and he’ll start his mess again. You’d do better findin’ me something else I can afford. Although that won’t be easy.”
“He might be right,” said Max, staring at Ghost. Ghost frowned at Dunbar, shaking his head. Then, there was a light in his eyes, a smile on his lips. Sometimes, the ideas seemed to just flow freely, and today was one of those days.
“Give me a minute.” He stepped away, making a phone call, then returned just standing and smiling at the man. Dunbar squirmed in his seat as the bearded giant stared him down. Long moments ticked by, then Dunbar’s phone rang.
“I have to take this,” he said.
“Go ahead,” smirked Ghost. Max stared at him with a quizzical grin. “Be my guest.”
“Mr. Cox, nice to hear from you, sir. Yes, sir. No, sir. No, that’s not true. I was just trying to make this place into something good. But you’re the boss! You can do anything you want. What do you mean you’re not the boss anymore? It was bought? But, but, how? I mean, who would buy this place? I mean, I don’t mean who would buy it. I mean, why sell it?”
Ghost grinned at Max as they both chuckled, shaking their heads.
“Wait! No, I can’t be fired. I can’t be! Sir? Sir?” He stared at his phone, then up at the two men in front of him. “What did you do?”
“We bought the place. Welcome to the new Maison Belle. Soon to be upgraded, updated, painted, and everything else. A work crew will be here this afternoon to assess the needs. In the meantime, Mr. Houston will be back in his apartment, unbothered, unharmed, and living rent-free for the rest of his days.” Ghost stepped forward, the other man taking a step back.
“Hear me loud and clear. If you so much as touch him with one finger, one hair, one thread, I will rip your disgusting heart out. People like you shouldn’t be allowed to work in an industry that deals with people. You don’t know how to treat them. You think you’re allowed to do whatever you want. Only you’re not. So, before I fulfill my fondest wish of ripping out your heart. Leave. Now,” he growled, stepping closer, staring down into the fat man’s face. “Go.”
Dunbar couldn’t leave quickly enough, literally running toward his car, tripping over his own feet several times.
“Did I just hear you right?” asked Mr. Houston, tilting his head sideways. “He’s gone, and I get to stay here rent-free?”
“Yes, sir. Our benefactor is a generous man, and he’s bought the entire complex. Everything is going to be updated with preference given to senior residents on low incomes. Anyone who wants to stay can, but they will know that intolerance won’t be accepted here. You’re going to have plenty of folks to talk to, Mr. Houston.” His eyes were cloudy, filled with tears as he shook his head.
“I’ll never be able to thank y’all. Never.”
“This is thanks enough,” smiled Max.
A few hours later, the apartment was painted, the oven replaced, the sink replaced, the fixtures updated, new carpeting throughout, beautiful new blinds, and Mr. Houston’s belongings back where they should be. When they were done, they called his daughter on video so she could see what had transpired.
“I just can’t thank y’all enough,” said the young woman. “You okay, Daddy?”
“Never better, baby,” said Houston. He spoke to his daughter for several minutes, then sat back in his lounge chair, smiling. “I can smell the fresh paint and new carpet. Ain’t nothin’ like that, although I don’t really remember ever havin’ new anything in a place. Still, there’s nothin’ like it.”
“No, sir, there is not,” smiled Max. “The new manager will be here tomorrow morning to speak with you, but you have nothing to worry about. We’ve put an extra lock on the door, just in case, but I don’t think anyone will be foolish enough to try anything.”
“No, I don’t ‘spect they will,” he laughed. “I can hear it in your voices. You boys are something special. Thank you. Thank you, and God bless.”
