Roberr

– Come in the kitchen, Robert, please, have something to drink, sit down.
I sat down, she sat down. We are looking at each other.
– So thank you, you come Robert, I trust only you.
– Don’t say that.
– No, no. no. Only you. So it is working?
– Yes.
– How do you know?
– I know.
– OK.OK. drink, drink Robert.
I poured a glass of mineral water and drank. She felt better after I did.
It is very hot, Robert. What do you think, no more problems?
– No. It was just thermostat. It was set too high.
-OK. I trust you, Robert. Call your guy not to come then.
– I already did.
She sights. So can you take a look at water meter?
– Yes. Lets’ do it.
Ten minutes later we are in the kitchen again. I know she needs to talk to someone, so sitting with her by the kitchen table I am. Talking.
Water in the glass is cold enough, weather too hot, city charges too much for water. It must be leaking.
If she needs a repair and I send someone, I must come with him. Which I don’t mind because I like this woman.
She says Robert with her French accent so sweet, it reminds me Octavie.
Octavie trusted everyone though.
And this old lady in front of me, trusts me because I had a French girl-friend from Paris. That’s why she trusts only me and I didn’t even tell her
Octavie, like her, was Jewish. That would be exploitation, I think.
-You see, I teach all my children to speak French.
-I see.
– I trust only you Robert.
– Please, don’t say that.
– Yes, Yes Roberr, I never touch it, never.
– OK. I will set it a little lower.
The air-conditioning kicked in.
– oh, it works.
– yes, it does.
I felt like her son because of the way she looked at me.
It felt good. Someone still trusts me. I went to Kaufman’s later to get lox on everything bagel.
Earl Grey would be nice but they don’t have it there.
What I was doing – I was buying my tea and kept the cup with tea bags to use it one more time in the evening.
That’s in the past now.