The next evening. Lights up on dining room table. The table is adorned with a white and yellow bouquet of roses. Husband, Wife, and Betty Sandborn are in the middle of dinner. Betty certainly thinks highly of herself and is not afraid to show it. She is younger than Wife, but has been in the real estate game longer. Even when not working, Betty is dressed to impress: hair, shoes, nails, and business suit. Wife has not been in real estate long and with the techno-centric times, has started to fall behind, while Betty flourishes. Husband and Wife sit quietly, eating their soup while Betty yammers on.
B. And they had the nerve to tell me that Jesus will have come back, died again, and sent a postcard before I could sell that house. And you know just how long it took? They don’t answer. B. Guess! Wife kicks Husband under table. H. Two months! Betty points downward, with a smirk. B. Nope. Guess again. W. One month? Betty shakes her head. B. Twenty-seven days. Can you believe it? Twenty-seven days! Even in a fast market in this recession, thirty days is considered remarkable, but twenty-seven? (to Husband) Our boss, Mr. Randall says it’s a record for this our company. H. That’s great! Wife shoots Husband a dirty look. He goes back to eating. W. Betty, I just don’t know how you do it. I mean, I’ve been with the company a little over three years now, but never have I been able to sell a house in less than a month and a half and that’s in a good market. B. Honestly darling, the market has nothing to do with it. It’s about who you are. You see, the real estate business isn’t really the business of selling property, what it is is...the business of selling yourself. You see, it’s about people. Real Estate has always been a people person business. Clients and customers want to know that you’re in it for them, one-hundred and fifteen percent. W. How do you do that? B. Oh, ask questions! You clients should be doing most of the talking--if you’re talking more than they are, that’s bad! Just ask questions, listen to what they have to say and tailor your search for them. Have you started a Facebook page for yourself as an agent? W. No. B. Oh, darling, you’ve got to get on that! According to realestate.com, eighty-four percent of agents are using some sort of social media to speak to their markets and connect with clients. W. Do you have a Facebook page? B. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, all of it. But you’ve got to be careful. W. Careful of what? B. Well, as I just said a moment ago, the real estate business is a people person business. The social media angle is good, but ultimately, that face-to-face time with the client or customer, that’s what’s going to close for you. W. You think so? B. Yes! How many people are going to make a huge investment on a couple of pictures you put up online? Will say yes to spending hundreds of thousands of dollars without talking in person with professionals who know what they’re looking for? I’ll tell you right now, they can put self-checkout stations in every grocery store in America and self-service may become the most hip, efficient, cool-thing-to-do, most popular thing ever, but when it comes to big stuff...stuff that matters, there are two things that will always remain true, two constants: One, people will always need places to live and two, in the matter of houses, they will always opt for face-to-face. So you don’t have to worry about the clients not being there--they’ll always be there, you just have to make sure that when they show up, you show up, too. But having said all of that, you’ve just got to get on Facebook at the very least! H. How do you start one of those Facebook things? B. They’re free accounts, you just go online and sign up. Make sure to have a bunch of stuff written up, you know bios and mission statement-type stuff. Oh and testimonials! Your last twenty clients! Get testimonials from all of them or at least make their contact available for any clients who look for references. W. I don’t have twenty past clients. B. Oh...what do you have? Hesitation. B. Doesn’t matter. Gather whatever it is that you do have...it’ll help, trust me. H. How many clients have you had, honey? W. I’ve had clients! I can’t recall off the top of my head at the moment, but I’ve had my share. B. Photos! You need photos for your page as well. Call me when you’re ready to get some photos done, I know a great photographer. W. I’ve actually had some photos taken not six months ago. B. Oh…the ones in the brochures? W. Yes. I thought they were quite nice. B. Yes...well...not to sound crude, but you really should think about new pictures. Ones that show off your best side. W. What does that mean? B. It simply means we want you to look your best to the client! Now don’t take offense darling, but remember…”people person business”. I mean that when I say it and unfortunately, looks are part of the equation--the winning equation. I mean history will tell you the same thing. Why do you think John Kerry lost the presidential election? Honestly, I didn’t mind the man, but he looked like one of those Ent tree things from Lord of the Rings, and I swear to you, darling, America just wouldn’t have it. Well, that and the whole flip-flopping thing, but trust me when I say, you could benefit from new photos...and a new wardrobe. I’ll call my guy and set something up. We’ll get you looking proper...something in black, I’m thinking...black is slimming. W. Yes… Husband sips soup loudly. B. Well, I really must thank you again for the dinner invitation, I couldn’t have been more pleased. W. (gritting teeth) Of course. Thank you for coming over and gracing us this evening. B. Oh, honestly, it would have been just another quiet evening at home with my lovelies. H. Oh, you have children, as well? B. No, no. Two miniature shih tzus. They’re my babies. H. (sarcasm) You couldn’t bring ‘em with? B. Oh no, they stay at home. Poor things, probably missing mommy right now. All alone. W. They can live without your loving presence for a few hours, I’m sure. B. Well, I suppose. So you two have children then, I take it? W. We have a son. H. Went off to school. B. Isn’t that nice! H. Addie had wanted to fill the void a child leaving home causes, that’s when she picked up real estate. W. Louis! That is a little much. And it wasn’t just because he left. I was just feeling stuck in general. I was tired of being a stay at home mother, I wanted something more to do--a challenge. B. (chuckling) Well, you’ve certainly found that, haven’t you? W. (fed up) Excuse me? B. The Mercanti place! You’re heading that one up aren’t you? W. Oh. Yes, I am. B. That’s one tough sell. I’ve heard about everything going on over there. W. Do you think it’s haunted? B. Not a chance! Husband’s definitely banging the maid. W. (to Husband) That’s what I said! B. But they said it, you’ve got to list it. That place is going to make for a nice chunk of change, you sell that house. W. I can’t get anyone to come near it. And even if they do show the slightest interest, as soon as they hear haunted, they’re out of there. B. Have you tried an open house, yet? W. No, they seem reluctant to do so, they said they’re still living there and would like their privacy. B. You’ve got to make them understand that no one is going to buy a house without looking inside first. W. I’m trying! They just don’t seem very willing to play ball with me. B. What did I tell you earlier? Listen to them, don’t talk. Just listen. And, if I’m going to be completely honest with you, I have to let you know. Mrs. Mercanti has been in contact with me. She says if you all can’t find a buyer in the next month, she’s going to be calling me again for a consultation. I’m sorry, Adelaide. I hope you can sell this house, I truly do...but if you can’t find a buyer and close in the next month...well, I’m afraid I just can’t say no to a big purse like the Mercanti place. It’s business, you understand? W. (bubbling) Of course, of course I understand. Any advice? B. Get new photos and wardrobe. (slurping up some soup) Something in black. Betty Sandborn begins to choke. She struggles to clear blockage out of her throat. H. Betty, you okay? Betty starts convulsing. H. Jesus! Betty! Husband jumps up from the table, but too late. Betty Sandborn’s body goes limp and she falls face down into the bowl of soup. Silence. H. Betty! The Husband rushes to Betty and pulls her head out of the soup, turning her over. Something small and dark is peering out from between her lips. Wife sits stunned. H. What the hell is that? Husband pulls the object out of Betty’s mouth. H. A rose petal? Black out. END OF PART 3 PART 2 PART 1
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