I’ve waited to write this story because only a portion of it is mine.
I received a phone call from a former Lake LeAnn neighbor who just recently heard of Ruth’s passing. I had sent her an email a few months ago, but she said she just opened it yesterday. We spoke about Ruth for a while and then she said, “Everyone wishes you were still here. It’s a vacation home for the new owners. No one understands why they stayed after the accident.”
Ruth and I sold the house to a couple from a small town in Ohio, not far from Toledo. One of the two had inherited a large sum of money and they decided to use their new wealth to purchase a family vacation home. Two of their children lived near them in Ohio, but their daughter lived in Chelsea. They focused on our home because of its central location.
When they bought the house, we offered to sell them some of the furnishings and outdoor toys. They were interested in several things but declined the outdoor items, a rowboat and a canoe. Since they weren’t interested, I offered them to a friend for free. He has the reputation of being a bit of a scavenger. He’ll take most anything that he can put to immediate use or sell for a quick profit. Timing was an issue because I wanted to move the boat and canoe before we closed on the house.
Tom brought a large trailer over a couple of days prior to the closing, and we loaded the rowboat and canoe. Our waterfront lot had a steep grade to the lake, so loading the trailer from below took some work. Tom’s a strong man and we muscled everything into place. We tied things down and he was off.
The following morning, I received a call from our realtor. The buyers had changed their mind. They wanted to purchase the rowboat and canoe. I told her my story about their removal and said, “I’ll do my best to get them back. I’ll let you know.”
We had a poker game that night. Tom’s one of the players. I told him that the people who were buying the house had changed their mind, and they wanted the water toys. Tom said, “I’ll sell them to them.”
And then I said, “You’ll sell them the rowboat and canoe I gave you?”
“No, I’ll just bring them back. You can sell them.”
The closing took place two days later, and I told the couple that I’d have the rowboat and canoe for them by the next day. They were very appreciative. Later that day, they drove by to see their new house. I was packing up a few things in the garage when they arrived. They stopped by because they wanted to see the “sold” sign in the yard. I offered to take their picture in front of the sign, but they declined.
While we were talking, the lady reached into her purse and paid me for the water toys. I assured them, once again, that everything would be on the beach by the time they took possession.
The next day Tom and I returned the rowboat and canoe to the beach. It was like they never left. I gave a portion of the money I received to Tom for his help. We both were happy with the deal. No one knew that the new owners change of heart would have such a tragic end.
TBC