"SPRING"ING AHEAD... Better days? (Part 170n)

“SPRING”ING AHEAD… Better days? (Part 170n)

I’ve never been one to take teasing well. I certainly wasn’t expecting it at that moment and I remember feeling my face flush after she said it. She was pointing towards the table and the lamp that had been knocked overlamp on the opposite side of the bed when she told me I’d probably find some panties if I went back there. As I made my way over the remaining clothes that were still on the floor I recognized the wad of colorful cloth I seen earlier. When I reached it I could see that it was a batch of folded panties. As I picked them up I could see/feel that they were cotton. I handed them to Lynda and as she reached for them she suggested I look on the chair and floor over where I was to see if I could find a slip or two and maybe some bras. There was a ladder back chair right in the corner of the room and there was a sweater half draped over the seat. When I picked it up found a slip and a couple of bras under it. I grabbed them and headed back to where Lynda was standing telling her that she better think about heading off to work.  Then I carried the now filled carton to her car and then watched her leave.

I still had the key to the house and as I was about to lock it back up I suddenly realized that there had to be more panties under the remaining clothes. I had a short debate with myself weather to go looking them for about ten seconds before re-entering the house. I went to the far side of the bed and right to the night stand. I moved a few items that were hanging on it and found a couple more cotton panties and bras. Holding a bra, I was curious as to what size Ruthe was. The label was pretty washed out but I was able to make out the important information… 34B. I found it interesting as Ruthe’s clothing choices were very modest and she certainly never flaunted her body. I wouldn't have guessed that was her size. When I checked out the panties to see who made them I was disappointed. The only label was located in the middle of the back and it had been cut. The only writing was the hip size, the number 36.  The ones I’d just picked up seemed to be like the ones I’d given to Lynda. Disappointing, for sure, but I stuffed both pair in my pocket anyway. On my way down the hall I slowed to take a look into what had to have been her kids bedroom what with a single and youth bed filling most of the floor space. A little further down the hall was the bathroom which, when I looked in, reminded me of one of the bathrooms in my parents house. Everything was old and seemed to be crammed in. When I took a step or two in I could see some things hanging over the shower curtain rod. With a closer look I saw some panty hose and another bra but no panties. With that it was time to leave.
      

From my "stash"...

Banks are required to have three audits of their ‘books’ and records each year, give or take a few months. One by State banking authorities; one by a Federal government agency and one by a private accounting firm. Back in the Fall the State auditors showed up but had screwed up when they failed to realize our deposits were being processed by a service bureau until after they had started the process. They aborted the audit and we were told they would be back some time in the future. On rare occasions the Fed people hook up with the State people and they do a combined audit. When I walked in I found that one of those combined audits was under way. A combined audit had both pluses and minuses. The plus is that we end up with one less interruption (audit) during the year. The minus is that we have to find space for both groups to work in and still be able to operate the bank. A usual compliment of people for the start of a singular audit is fifteen which gets whittled down to eight or nine after a few days on site. With the ‘double’ it was around two dozen. Walking across the lobby and looking in towards the work area it was wall to wall people. Hobie and Bret were in the process of herding the different groups to designated spaces as I walked up to them. I could see Hobie was stressed and knew I’d hear about my coming in late. I’d told Lynda to give me a call with anything new on Ruthe’s release from the hospital but when she called I was in up to my eyeballs with the auditors. In fact, Lynda and Ruthe were about as far from my thoughts as could possibly be imagined.

The lead auditors were both female. After talking with each I came away with mixed thoughts. The one from the State was tall and attractive and the Fed one was short and dumpy… almost exact opposites. It didn’t take long to find out that their personalities were also quite opposite. The two of them got into what I’ll call a ‘discussion’ over the space they’d been allotted by Hobie. They were in the middle of the work area when they started in. It all had to do with which entity had more importance… the Feds or the State with the Fed lady claiming that position. She was most adamant that her group be given the ‘prime’ work area. Their ‘discussion’ was interrupting the whole work area so I got involved choosing to speak to each individually. The Fed lady (?) insisted on being first so, with Bret getting a bite to eat, I sat the other woman in the side chair at his desk. I could see from the outset that this examination period was going to be a ‘test’ of a different nature. I listened to the woman for a few minutes before noting the other woman was leaning over the side of her chair trying to get something from her briefcase. As she struggled her knees spread apart a fair distance and I glimpsed a white triangle. I honestly don’t know how long she was at it but I was still watching when the Fed lady asked if I was listening to her. When I turned back to her I decided to end the whole charade by telling her that the best thing for her to do was to contact her supervisor and for now things would stay as they were. If looks could kill I would’ve been wounded, for sure. I knew I was taking a chance that she’d take her vengeance out in the form of a stiff audit of the bank but there was no way I was going to come up with an amicable solution without her dictating the end result.

It was after the doors to the lobby were closed that I thought of Lynda and Ruthe. The plan, as I last knew it, was the wife of their office manager would call the hospital to find out Ruthe’s release time… then come to the brokerage office to pick up the clothes from Lynda and then pick Ruthe up and take her to her home. As I dialed the number I hoped that it had all gone well. I had to wait a few minutes for Lynda to get off other calls and when she told me Ruthe was still at the hospital I didn’t want to believe it. The story, as I got it, was that one of the doctors who was treating her at the hospital had some ‘reservations’ about releasing her. I knew very little about Bill (the office manager) and his family but I knew they had young children and that the delay probably had the woman frazzled. As much as I wanted to jump in and say I’d do it… I just couldn’t as I knew Elle wouldn’t  even try to understand. There was silence on the phone line as I, very briefly, contemplated it. Then Lynda said she’d do it and that somehow, even with the Corvette, she’d get Ruthe and the clothes to Bill’s house. I really felt bad about not volunteering but, sometimes you just have to say “No…”.

To be continued...