“Perfect.”
She started walking toward the side of my house as though the conversation were finished.
“Hold on.”
She stopped.
I went inside.
Then came back carrying a clipboard.
Denise stared.
“What is that?”
“A lending agreement.”
She laughed.
I didn’t.
Her smile slowly disappeared.
She looked down at the page.
I had listed every item she wanted.
Large cooler — replacement value: $120.
Crock pot — replacement value: $80.
Two folding tables — replacement value: $75 each.
Underneath were the conditions.
Everything returned by Sunday at 6 p.m.
Everything clean and dry.
Everything returned in the same condition.
Then:
Refundable security deposit: $350.
And below that:
Outstanding balance: KitchenAid mixer repair — $347.
Denise looked up.
“You cannot be serious.”
“I am.”
“You want me to give you almost seven hundred dollars to borrow a cooler and two tables?”
“No.”
I pointed at the sheet.
“Three hundred fifty is refundable.”
Then lower.
