Belinda looked around the "space". Why in the world apartments, or condos or any place where people lived these days was referred to as "space" instead of: "hall" or "room"...made no sense. Supposedly it sounded trendy...or larger. Who knew?
"This is a lovely open space; would work perfectly for your book collection. You could really showcase your collection here. It would be quite the showpiece."
Since when did having books in shelves comprise a "collection". Why was everything a "showpiece" and small 3 by 5 foot blocks of empty areas considered a "unique space."
It was bullshit. All of it. On top of that; it was all bullshit in the shade of beige. The "neutral palette" was in fact nothing but different shades of beige. It reminded Belinda of the bland pureed food she had once used a syringe for to push down patient's throats when she was still a nurse on the geriatric service.
None of this looked like the advertisement. None of this looked like the model. Why would they show people the model and raise their expectations and then bring them into the mashed pureed "space" they wanted you to pay over half a million dollars for. It was indeed, utter bullshit, but Belinda was not the kind of woman to say things like that. Only recently had she become the kind of person who actually thought things like this. Grief can do that to you. Anger can do that to you....apparently getting old can do that to you.
"So?" asked the optimistic Brittany "sales liaison", who Belinda thought was likely a receptionist who was the only one willing to work on weekends in the off season - but being a "liaison" sounded enticing, cosmopolitan. And after all; they had made her business cards. The way Brittany was dressed it didn't appear as though she needed the job. Her purse alone probably cost as much as Belinda's entire wardrobe. She had to stop being so negative. Brittany was probably younger than her own daughter. She knew it wasn't polite to make blanket statements like that; even if they were just thoughts. Blanket thoughts were just as rude.
"Would you like to look at our 3D visual of available lots? They're filling up pretty quickly so it might be a good idea, you know, just in case you wanted to put a deposit on a nice spot before it's taken."
The hard sale. That is what this was, Belinda thought to herself. Quick. Buy the beige blocks of "space" before someone else did. Someone else with nobody to look with them because they're all alone now and everyone knows nothing makes life exciting for AARP members like beige boxes to huddle in until you're found one day not moving and they can sell your beige "space" for the going rate depending on whether you died during a buyers or sellers market.
Belinda realized she was in a bad mood. "Don't make decisions during a time of stress" was the advice Cyndi at the Grieving Group gave everyone. Cyndi with an "i" said this frequently. Cyndi wore Crocs, even in the Winter. This would've usually caused Belinda to mildly distrust her; but for some reason it just made her seem more genuine. She had a point. Just like her advice to not go grocery shopping when you're hungry or after you've eaten. You're not making decisions for the right reasons. At this rate; Belinda wouldn't make a decision for the next 20 years.
"I think I'll come back next weekend if that's okay?" She said, knowing that it was highly unlikely she would, at least until Cyndi with the Crocs heard about this and brought her back personally. Until then though; there was no need to ruin Brittany's day. After all; she'd left her Sudoku book at the receptionist desk to show Belinda around. It was hard to get back into Sudoku once you stopped, especially if you were on a roll.
Belinda left and got into her new non obtrusive 4 wheel drive Subaru. It may have been a sensible choice since two of her three kids had decided to move up north and she'd need it for driving in the snow, but at least she'd bought a red one. They'd had beige, white and gray....but she chose red. Belinda was determined not to buy a car in a color that reminded her of everything her life had recently become.
Neutral. Stagnant...Pureed.
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