17

J.J. Hill: and the Cradle that Rocks

I cant imagine, just think of owning half of St. Paul, like that rich train industrialist, that lives on Summit Street, JJ Hill, by the Cathedral, said Thomas, one evening in September, as the St. Paul, Minnesota State Fair was about to take place.

Whenever you decide Sally, we can buy a few more properties?

You are so confident and gracious, she remarked, but I was actually thinking about the State Fair?

It is not often one finds a long lost cousin; and also, Sally, yes we had better get some sleep, tomorrow we look for properties, tomorrow will be a busy day; and that State Fair issue, it sounds like fun, it has been long, I mean, a very long time since Ive been to one: did you know we have the second largest one in the United States right here in our own backyards? Matter of fact, I was just a kid the last time I went. Oh I remember jumping over the fence in back of the fair grounds, big old horses were there from the University Hospital, part of the fair grounds I think, there Id grab a rope, put it around the horses head, and go for a ride with my friends. And the Merry-Go-Round, boy it was fun. And the games, and foot long hot dogs, andgee, you made me think of so much fun; simple things, that is 90% of a persons life you know, simple things that is, the rest, well, the rest happens in-between all them simple things, and we keep waiting for them, the big ones and miss the 90% little ones, in the process, what a squander. (Looking a bit cheerless and not talking anymore, he smiled at Sally, and then they both went into their bedrooms.)

Day of the State Fair

Sally had always been a late riser, and late going to bed, but she woke up early this particular morning, the morning the State Fair started. Although they had both done business together, they had not bought any new properties together; it was exciting and adventurous to think this might happen, thought Sally. And so at 5:00 AM she was sitting down at the long dinning-room table drinking coffee, she was sipping it, nursing it slowly, mouth to air, mouth to air, then shed put it down, lift it up, and go again. It was as nerve-racking as Thomas smoking his tedious and irritating cigars. She loved the table with its thick wooden under structure, and glowing-glass coating of the wood on its surface. The window was slightly open, and a tepid breeze from the morning crept in just enough to fill her lungs up with fresh vital air, in consequence, letting the stale air sneak out.

Besides a daily vicious schedule most of his lifewith a high vitality for life and work itself, old man Thomas seemed a bit tired this morning as he dragged himself slowly out of his room towards the dinning room. His biological and neurological systems seemed to be shutting down, not because of old age per se, he guessed at that right away, for it was suddennot progressive, thus those damn Virus Worms, he told himself. He had slept twelve-hours, where six or seven was normal for him. (Yes, he convinced himself, regeneration for the worms were draining him, he was their battery, so he told himself.) As he sat at the table getting acclimated to the morning traditions, he gave Sally a big hug, and smile. He knew something she didnt know, something most people didnt know; something, just a big something, and one could see it hidden along side his forehead, as if it was a trap.

After the light breakfast, and brushing of the teeth, and the normal morning things a person does, they were both ready to go on with the property search.

Tell me Thomaswe could become over thin with not keeping enough money to run all these places [a pause] if we buy now, although I want to buy one or two pieces of real-estate: --It seems to me we may not have enough money to do so; is this a rational possibility?

The old man spoke with a cross-examined voice, for much was on his mind: at this juncture of his life, he knew he was a powerless sorceress, mirrored by fear and nightmares of dying, grotesque images about him, demon plowing tunnels to his basement from down the block, coming to get him (what was true and what was false, his mind never knew).

Said he: Lots of Indian bluffs around here, and lots of properties near by them, it is 1929, times are not so good, money is scarce, they will take little, or next to nothing to eat for their properties; sellerspeople that is, this is the time to buy. Our sister city Minneapolis has more beggars than us, more missions to feed people; everyone is in need of money. These people do not want to end up with them.

Convinced, she accepted his reasoning at face value; he said little more on the subject thereafter, his mind was drifting in and out like a fog fading inside a crystal

he added, We shall take all our cash, buy as much property as we can, re-finance it at its real value, in which we will be able to get 85% of its value, and we are buying it at 30% its value at present; thus, we can make between 30% and 85%, or =55%. Take this money and put it back into the bank and we got our trouble-shooting money back. Plus, we got more renters that will pay for the mortgage [s], and we will get a cash flow with that 15% remaining, of the 85%, something like that. Does that make sense? (Sally simply nodded her head as if to say I guess so.)

Incidentally (Thomas added), some property on the levee [along the bank of the river] will go even cheaper; this time is really what one calls in economics, a great gap, a once in a life time, buy and sell; in five years the houses will double in value. And what we buy for $1400 today will be $14,000 soon and turn into $40,000 to $80,000 before we die (yet he knew when he said that two things: one hed be dead and two: shed wish she was)

That is why I admire you cousin, you teach me so much, matter of fact, too much too soon sometimes, said Sally so proudly.

[Thomas with a bit of arrogance; a drained and pale looking visagepale eyes] My company, now half yours, has been administrated well by Charlie Adams. He takes care of the renting of the units as you already know, and keeps the places up, as you also know; plus grass cutting in the summer, etc. He shovels the snow, and fixes the electric problems. He does the evictions, and all that crap. I know I have mentioned him to you so many times, and you have seen him giving orders to the other workers, that we employ, but you need to get to know him on personal bases. I want you to meet him; he is an Indian, fifty-five years old; a Chippewa, and a hard worker.

And so Sally met Charlie Adams [property manager]: --a tall, dark red-skinned flimsy looking Indian, from Blue Earth Reservation. And learned all she could of the business from his angle; they became fond of one another quickly: or so it seemed. And now the Sally-Thomas Viper, Inc. signs were up on all properties, making them more appealing to the bystanders, and to those looking to rent, or buy.