sure as all get-out do the job for ya.” Rusty tore a sheet from his pad and handed it over. “And there’s your damage. My good faith estimate. But I can assure ya, that’s the best price you’ll get in Second Creek. Mr. Belford’s right to swear by me, since I been workin’ with him ever since I started up my bid’ness.”
Petey took the sheet and scanned it while Meta looked on eagerly. “Seems reasonable to me. Takes a few thousand to make a few thousand, huh? At least that’s what my daddy always said while he was running Lyons Insole.”
“Will it take long to do everything?” Meta wanted to know. “I just can’t wait to open my gallery. We’ll worry about moving in upstairs later. I was hoping maybe we could have a soft opening in time for the new Caroling in The Square event on Christmas Eve. That should bring lots of people downtown to mill around, and some of them are bound to drop by the gallery if we’re open. Even if you don’t make a sale, you get the word out that you’re open for business, and that’s everything in the art world.”
Rusty cocked his head and squinted as he scratched the nape of his neck. “It wouldn’t take all that long if you didn’t have so many new outlets to install. But if you’re gonna be spotlightin’ all that artwork you told me about on these walls, you’ll need you plenty more to plug into. You could save you some money by not havin’ us put ’em in on the second floor just yet. We charge double for that, ya know.”
“Then double it will have to be, Mr. Jahnke,” Meta replied without batting an eyelash. “We intend to make our home on the second floor, so we won’t accomplish anything by not having that properly wired, too. Might as well do it all at once.” She gave Petey a hurried glance. “Right, honey?”
“Makes sense to me.”
“I understand what you’re both sayin’,” Rusty added. “But no matter where we put ’em, we gotta cut lotsa holes in the walls to snake the wires and then you’ll want us to patch ’em up, I’m guessin’, and—”
Meta interrupted with a patient smile. “Mr. Jahnke, we’re convinced you know what you’re doing. Just tell us how long the work will take.”
“Oh . . . uh, a week or so. Maybe a little less if everything goes right. Are you wantin’ it all done by Christmas for sure?”
“If at all possible. I realize the building has a bare-bones look and feel to it now, but we artists don’t mind working with that. Sometimes, people expect a funkier, more offbeat ambience when they walk into an art gallery. You know—the rustic, exposed beams, the walls with the worn plaster, that sort of thing. But we absolutely have to have those lights for effect.”
Rusty managed a friendly chuckle. “And some heat’d help, too, I imagine. Saw where we’re predicted to keep havin’ this cold weather all the rest a’ this month. I got someone to recommend to ya for your HVAC work, if you want. Ronnie Lutrelle’s the best in town, and he could prob’ly get a system installed for ya real quick. I can work with him pretty close on that. Meantime, I’ll make a note to bring me a coupla space heaters so my crew don’t freeze to death once they get to work. Guess I don’t have to tell ya, it’s like an icebox in here.”
Petey had been making mental notes and gave Meta a reaffirming glance. “I think we’re ready to take all your recommendations and get started then. Full speed ahead!”
Rusty Jahnke had no sooner driven off with mission accomplished than Petey and Meta were approached by Novie Mims’s son, Marc, and his partner, Michael Peeler, of How’s Plants?—the clever botanical boutique located on the other side of The Square. Most Second Creekers found them fascinating to observe from the “opposites attract” angle: Marc was small and delicate with a tangle of dark, curly hair, while Michael was a big sturdy, freckle-faced redhead.
“My mother told us you were in town getting
Petey took the sheet and scanned it while Meta looked on eagerly. “Seems reasonable to me. Takes a few thousand to make a few thousand, huh? At least that’s what my daddy always said while he was running Lyons Insole.”
“Will it take long to do everything?” Meta wanted to know. “I just can’t wait to open my gallery. We’ll worry about moving in upstairs later. I was hoping maybe we could have a soft opening in time for the new Caroling in The Square event on Christmas Eve. That should bring lots of people downtown to mill around, and some of them are bound to drop by the gallery if we’re open. Even if you don’t make a sale, you get the word out that you’re open for business, and that’s everything in the art world.”
Rusty cocked his head and squinted as he scratched the nape of his neck. “It wouldn’t take all that long if you didn’t have so many new outlets to install. But if you’re gonna be spotlightin’ all that artwork you told me about on these walls, you’ll need you plenty more to plug into. You could save you some money by not havin’ us put ’em in on the second floor just yet. We charge double for that, ya know.”
“Then double it will have to be, Mr. Jahnke,” Meta replied without batting an eyelash. “We intend to make our home on the second floor, so we won’t accomplish anything by not having that properly wired, too. Might as well do it all at once.” She gave Petey a hurried glance. “Right, honey?”
“Makes sense to me.”
“I understand what you’re both sayin’,” Rusty added. “But no matter where we put ’em, we gotta cut lotsa holes in the walls to snake the wires and then you’ll want us to patch ’em up, I’m guessin’, and—”
Meta interrupted with a patient smile. “Mr. Jahnke, we’re convinced you know what you’re doing. Just tell us how long the work will take.”
“Oh . . . uh, a week or so. Maybe a little less if everything goes right. Are you wantin’ it all done by Christmas for sure?”
“If at all possible. I realize the building has a bare-bones look and feel to it now, but we artists don’t mind working with that. Sometimes, people expect a funkier, more offbeat ambience when they walk into an art gallery. You know—the rustic, exposed beams, the walls with the worn plaster, that sort of thing. But we absolutely have to have those lights for effect.”
Rusty managed a friendly chuckle. “And some heat’d help, too, I imagine. Saw where we’re predicted to keep havin’ this cold weather all the rest a’ this month. I got someone to recommend to ya for your HVAC work, if you want. Ronnie Lutrelle’s the best in town, and he could prob’ly get a system installed for ya real quick. I can work with him pretty close on that. Meantime, I’ll make a note to bring me a coupla space heaters so my crew don’t freeze to death once they get to work. Guess I don’t have to tell ya, it’s like an icebox in here.”
Petey had been making mental notes and gave Meta a reaffirming glance. “I think we’re ready to take all your recommendations and get started then. Full speed ahead!”
Rusty Jahnke had no sooner driven off with mission accomplished than Petey and Meta were approached by Novie Mims’s son, Marc, and his partner, Michael Peeler, of How’s Plants?—the clever botanical boutique located on the other side of The Square. Most Second Creekers found them fascinating to observe from the “opposites attract” angle: Marc was small and delicate with a tangle of dark, curly hair, while Michael was a big sturdy, freckle-faced redhead.
“My mother told us you were in town getting
Similar Books
