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"	Gene's Story or How I Gained a Cousin < A novel by Karen Lockhart Copyright 2016

CHAPTER 45

After a pleasant forty-five minute drive I pulled up at the store providing almost everything for the equestrian; Hunter, Dressage, or Western. As we walked inside, Ginny's eyes got huge.

“Oh my goodness, this is incredible! Look at all the stuff,” She cried. “There must a million dollars worth of inventory here.”

“You may be right Ginny, check the prices on the saddles.”

“Hi Ellen, nice to see you again,” said the owner Paul True. “How can I help you?”

“Paul, this is my cousin Ginny, she's just starting out, and needs boots and a pair of jods”

“That'll be easy; Ginny follow me and we'll get your size first, then find the right pair for you, brand, and color.”

Paul measured her waist, went to the rack and took down three pairs. He showed her the fitting room and said, “Remember, they fit tight, show us one pair at a time.”

While Ginny was changing, Paul and I chatted about what was happening with gender specific bathrooms and the upcoming holidays. I said I want a pair of jods set aside as a gift from me to Ginny. And when Ginny was through, I needed a new English bridle with two reins.

Ginny stepped out, and Paul had her stand on a platform and turn around.

He looked at me, “These are too loose in the hips. Ellen, you agree?”

I nodded yes, and Ginny went back to try the next pair. In no time she was back out. What a difference! Even I could see these looked right.

Paul had a smile, “I knew these would be the ones. These are 'Tailored Sportsmen', almost every slender rider buys these. Ginny, how do these feel?”

“These feel great, much better than the first pair. Should I try on the other pair, or am I finished?”

“Keep those on, we'll try the boots next,” Paul said. “Ellen, would you mind getting the other jods for me while I measure Ginny's foot?”

After measuring her feet, Paul asked how much does she want to spend. I told him she is a brand new shiny penny rider, so let's start out inexpensive.

Paul went and found two pairs in 9 wide. He found a long boot sock for her to put on first. He handed her a pair of boot pullers, showed her where they went and had her try on the first pair.
“I don't like the way these feel,” she said. “They're above the back of my knee, these'll hurt.”

Paul had her pull them off and try the second pair, saying, “Both of those are 100 dollars, How does this pair feel?”

Ginny made a face, “Not much better.”

As she took them off, Paul went into the back room and came out with a single pair.

“These you'll like.” he said.

As Ginny picked them up she said, “Look at these Ellen, they have zippers! It will be a snap to get these on and off.”

Paul smiled, “Everyone says that. These are made in the Philippines, that keeps the price down. Ellen you have field boots don't you, the ones with lacing?”

“Yes, but mine were 400 dollars, how much are the ones with zippers?”

“With your discount, 75 dollars for the jods and make it 150 dollars for the boots, the sox are free. Did you know which bridle you wanted?”

I gave him a kiss on the cheek, “You really are a nice guy Mr True. I put it on the checkout desk.”

Paul looked at the English made bridle and made cash register sounds. “ka-ching, ka-ching. That's 350 dollars for the bridle for you and 225 dollars for the boots and jods for Ginny. Now, cash or charge?”

We quickly paid Paul and with promises to come back at least for his annual Christmas party, we put our loot in the car. Ginny's loot was hugging her backside nicely, which made her happy.

“You are such a girl, I bet you want to stop for lunch somewhere there are lots of men around.”

Ginny smiled. ”Jealous?”

I pulled into a sports bar on Sylvan Street near the mall. “There should be enough guys in here to satisfy you. Just get their eyes off the football game”.

As we walked in, you could hear the click as every eye in the house followed Ginny as we walked across the floor to a table.

“I give up, give me some of those hormones, I need help, I've got a boy's butt, and you have a
girl's backside. Like the old song,”Backfield in motion”, I'm going to have to penalize you.”

We ate, and hurried home. The Patriot's game with Seattle was at 4:15. It looked like we'd just make it before the kick-off.

I suggested that Ginny give her new boots a good coat of shoe polish before she put them away.

I surprised her with a gift certificate good for four lessons from Cathy's farm with a riding instructor who specialized in new adult riders.

That got a squeal and a big kiss on the cheek from Ginny and a sore neck for me.

“I can't believe you did that! You've done too much already.”

“I don't know how you do it Ginny, but you are a delightful girl, who makes everyone around you smile and relax. It's a pleasure being with you, it was well worth it.”

With that her face turned bright red and tears sprung to her eyes. She gave me a look and ran to her room.

Now what did I do?

Five minutes later Ginny came back to the living room, now dressed,in loose jeans and a sweat shirt. She sat beside me and again gave me another hug.

“What's the score?” she asked. “Are we winning?” Just then, the score was put back up on the TV screen. Seattle 7, New England 7.

At half time Ginny got up, went into the kitchen and started making dinner. She poured two cups of rice into a Corning Wear dish. On the rice she laid four chicken breasts, then a can each of cream of chicken soup, a can of cream of celery soup, and a can of cream of mushroom soup. This was covered with tin foil and set aside while the oven heated. Forty-five minutes at 400 degrees F., and supper was done.

The Patriots won by 7, 21 to 14. and so did I. Supper was delicious. We hung around until 10pm. Then bed called out to both of us, 5 AM came quickly.

I staggered out of bed and into the bathroom just ahead of Ginny. Quickly I ran through the shower and headed for my bedroom. I worked on my hair thinking how easy it was to take care of when it was short. Make-up on, clothes on, where's my boots? In the closet where they belong. Do I need coffee. Ginny breezed by into the kitchen, and made coffee.

“Do we have time for a real breakfast, or just toast?” she asked.

“I'd love scrambled eggs and bacon, I haven't had home-made scrambled eggs made for me since I left home when I was eighteen.”

Ginny smiled, “This is the first meal I was taught at chef's school, sit back and watch.”

They were as good as advertised; she sprinkled a little sugar in the mix along with some crumbled bacon. So simple, but so different! I could've had seconds, but it was time to leave.

We arrived at the job site by a quarter to seven to find the security gates open, and lights on in the office trailer.

“Well Dirty Harry, did you bring your canon today?” Ginny teased. “Or do we call for backup?”

I looked at her as we walked to the office. ”You've been watching too much TV, It's probably Steve.”

The door flew open and Steve shouted, “Anytime, ladies, daylight is burning, let's go!”

I turned around, and headed back to my car. Ginny's jaw dropped and then she started to follow after me. Steve started laughing at our backs.

“Shit, I could never get a rise out of you girly, come in the coffee's ready.”

He got me, Steve knew how much I hated to be called 'girly'.

After making us coffee, Steve started talking about the Patriot's game with Seattle yesterday.

“That Brady is amazing, he has to be related to me, he's so good.”

This elicited groans from me and Ginny.

'What are you two groaning at, it's a possibility you know.”

He finally got down to business, saying how it took a week to straighten out the mess his nephew made of the job in Melrose, saying 'never again', no matter how much his wife asked, would that idiot ever run anything but his nose on one of his projects.

“The consultant's report says we only need piles on that spot where they are set up now; the soil on the whole is stable enough to support the structure we are building.”

“That's great news Steve, we'll save a lot of money and time. The bottom line just got much better.”

“Your bonus just doubled.” he joked, “Now how is Ginny doing with that bastard she was living with?”

I paused, forgetting the made up story for a second, but Ginny hopped in “He vanished, just like I hope I did.”

Steve smiled, “Then let's make you legitimate girl. From now on, You are on the payroll with deductions and insurance, and taxes. We'll use your new social security number, it's clean. Now what do we pay you?”

I spoke up, “We were paying her $400 under the table with no deductions, how about $750 per week with all the standard deductions, taxes, FICA, social security, and IRA for when she gets old like you?”

He started laughing so hard he got hiccups, “Old like me huh? Okay, done deal, you have the employment forms here don't you Ellen? Fill them out and send them to the office. That should make my wife think Ginny is my new girl friend.”

His red Ford pickup drove up to the trailer with his nephew driving. This explained two things, why Ginny and I didn't see it earlier, and how he put his foot down with his wife on the kid.