That was noon today? Right?

I was told that I would have all the pieces by noon.

The owner's mom lives directly across the street from her daughter's office. She walked through the front door and you could tell that something was wrong. She’s renting her apartment to someone running for public office as a favor to her daughter; and every once in awhile she complains to me about.
Her problem this day was that she couldn’t get in her front door. She was convinced that her new tenant had done something wrong. I asked her for her key and started to worry about her state of mind while she search through her key ring for it. Before she handed it to me, she assured me that I was not going to be able to get in.

I told her, “You gotta have faith.” It was rainy and cold but I walked across the street without my coat because I felt it looked more confident. Before I got to the door I prayed a little that my door opening skill wouldn’t fail me.

It’s a two phase lock, which throws a deadbolt and turns a passage lock and they can be tricky but I did get in before she got across the street. We spoke for awhile in her hallway, about locks, supermarkets and her daughter. I always try to lend an ear to old people.

…

I didn’t get all the pieces by noon. I didn’t get any pieces by noon. What I did get was two other jobs. And then a promise of a third and a promise for all the pieces for the first job that I was supposed to do.
It’s politics.