I told her I could start the next night. She hadn’t understood that I was going to do it at night. I had told her, though. She just hadn’t been listening. She said she thought I was in business for myself. I told her I was, at night. I told her I had to work my other job in the daytime. Then she wanted to know all about that. She just wanted somebody to talk to. Tracey was going to sleep in my lap. I asked Betty if she’d take her but she wouldn’t even look up. She was still reading her magazine.

She wanted to know didn’t I get tired of working all the time, at night and on weekends. Hell, who wouldn’t? I told her, sure, I got tired of it, but I needed the money. That was all I told her then. I didn’t want to tell her about Tracey. I didn’t want to tell her all my personal business.

She sat there for a while and didn’t say anything. Then she wanted to know if there was any way I could come down on the price. That pissed me off. She wanted to know if that was the very least I could do it for. At first I told her I didn’t see any way I could, but I needed the money. Hell, I have to put gas in my truck and all. …

I told her I’d cut it twenty more dollars but that was it. I told her if she couldn’t live with that, she’d just have to find somebody else to do it. And I told her that if she found somebody cheaper, she wouldn’t be satisfied with it.

I had to tell her a couple of times that I’d be there the next night. I told her I had to go by the building supply and get the doors. She wanted to talk some more, but I told her I had to put my baby to bed. Finally I got away from her. I wasn’t really looking forward to going back.

I got up with Tracey and Betty wanted to know who that was on the phone. I told her a lady I was going to do some work for. Then she wanted to know what kind of work and how old a lady and was she married or divorced and what did she look like. I told her, Hell, normal, I guess, to let me put Tracey to bed.