Nancy was so excited. This was the first time she had been hired by a family to house sit for longer than a weekend. In this case, the contract mentioned one month. They had offered her a chauffeur ride from the airport, but she declined because, for a month, she needed the freedom to travel when and where she wished. She rented a small Mitsubishi from Enterprise for a one-month period. The Angorallie family agreed to pick up the $3,500 tab, plus any gas, with receipts.
As she pulled up to the curb in front of 911 Periwinkle Street, she called the butler, George, who promptly answered and immediately opened the imposing high doors, which looked like they were at least 12 feet high with sharp iron stakes capping the top. He told her, “Just drive up to the front. Leave your keys in the car, and I will move it to the garage.”
As she slowly drove up the winding road, she could see the gigantic house, which was a mansion or even a palace. The outer surface was stone, and the windows had a Gothic look to them. It looked like there were five stories with windows everywhere.
Wait, is that a person up on the fifth floor looking out the window at her? They are dressed in black, and from here, driving, it was hard to tell whether it was a man or a woman. I mean, after all, in this day and age, you could never tell, and it was a long way off.
As she finally reached the circular driveway at the home’s entrance, she could see a tall, thin elderly man waiting for her. He is dressed very formally. Behind him were the double doors that, like the entrance to the property, were much higher than normal, but for a house like this, it was appropriate.
As she stopped and turned off the engine, she was pleasantly surprised that the older gentleman came around the back and opened her door. “Pleased to see you, Nancy. I’m George. Let me get your bags for you.”
She replied, “Oh no, I can carry my own bags.”
“I insist. The Angorallies would not be happy if you were seen lugging in your own baggage. This is my job. You go on, and I will follow you.”
Accepting that she had been outmaneuvered, she slowly walked up and through the imposing wooden doors that were already propped open. To her astonishment, directly in front of her was a grand staircase that opened to the second floor, and then she could see it winding its way to the very top of the home. It was so high that she had difficulty seeing where it ended.
George followed her. She started toward the staircase, but George said, “Not necessary. Although this home may be old, it boasts the latest upgrades, including an elevator. We will be going to the second floor, where you can get settled, and then after an hour, I can take you to the family.”
Very relieved, “Oh, thank God. I was imagining all the exercise I would get over the next thirty days. Will you be here for the next month?”
“Unfortunately, not. I will be travelling with the Angorallie family to provide them support.”
Feeling a bit nervous, she replied, “Wow, this is a really big house to be all by myself in for a month.”
He smiled, reminding her of one of those movies where the butler has all steel teeth, “No problem. This is a very safe neighborhood, and we have a security system along with a real movie theater where you can stream all your movies.”
