Discomfort, Pondering...

Discomfort, Pondering; A Lot of Rhetorical Questions

The sign advertising an open house drew me into the well-rehearsed sales pitch of an experienced realtor. “The furnishings, alone are worth the asking.” I had to think about that. Why were the owners leaving all of this stuff? Would I be comfortable living with someone else’s choices? If I chose to get rid of everything I owned, how, and where, would I go about it?

I wasn’t actually considering relocating, but I took a flyer from the counter. “Fifty-year-old estate for sale, includes house, furnishings, 1⅓-acre lot, 2½-car garage, 2 vehicles, and assorted tools.” What would be the asking price? What are the various expenses associated with this property; taxes, water and sewer, electricity, insurance, and maintenance? All of these items needed consideration, but why should I care? Curiosity, that’s why. 

I assumed the reason behind the sale. One of the owners died, and the heirs wanted their share of the inheritance. Meeting the obligatory demand required liquidation. Did this suggest a desire for quick resolution, thus negotiable and reduced pricing? I further assumed that would depend on family history, relationships, and personal needs. Were my assumptions correct?

The realtor was as secretive as a Presidential Press Secretary. Either she was uninformed or was unwilling to divulge information. Though she was empathetic with my questions, her fiduciary efforts appeared to focus on her commission, not the seller’s desires. She never exposed the “man behind the curtain,” and I never obtained the facts.

Had my curiosity been satisfied? Not really, but I determined there was no purpose remaining. Would the property eventually sell? Probably! Would I purchase it? Probably not! It would require, in my opinion. a peculiar personality to make such a venture. That person would lack the curiosity to wonder about the circumstances, or be a person hardened to the perception of those circumstances; I was neither. 

Each of us has a way to cope with discomfort. Me? I went home and discarded the flyer.

By Robert Scarry

From: United States