Ok I think my five readers know that I am a real estate agent. So, I got a call from this guy to see his house because he wants to sell it. I got my materials together and went the next day. As I walked up the sidewalk the door opens. I see this older guy, probably in his mid 50's. He is wearing dirty, grey sweat pants and a blue shirt with yellow lettering that says "Ask how YOU can get a free breast exam" Oh joy. His obvious comb over looked stiff and dirty. His pale blue eyes were so light he looked like he had cataracts. He smiled and asked if I was the real estate agent. I smiled politely and said yes. He opened the door and invited me in. As I walked past him, this wall of body odor that was emanating from him was nauseating. I held back the vomit that wanted to come up and sat at a small kitchen table.
As I put down my binder on the table, my hand landed on something sticky. I pulled my hand up. He asked me what was wrong and I asked him for a wet paper towel because there was something sticky on the table. He gave me a wickedly strange smile and got me a towel. Everything in my body told me to run. It told me to leave and never come back and don't worry about the listing there will be others. But I didn't. I was polite. I wiped with odd smelling sticky stuff off my hand, wiped the table and pushed forward.
I told him that I wanted to see the house and offered him material to read as I went through the rooms making notes. He looked nervous letting me go it alone. As I got up looking around the first floor, I felt him watching my every move. I became aware of his constant stare and less of the house. I went to the kitchen and took notes on the appliances, cabinets and sliding glass door that lead to a small and unkept back yard. All the while feeling uneasy and aware of my situation. As I headed up stairs I could see the guy pacing back and forth at the foot of the staircase. At the top of the stairs was a wall, to the left a small bedroom being used as an office. Papers were laid out all over the desk like someone was searching for something. Down a small hallway was another smallish bedroom. It was empty. No furniture, no pictures, no carpet. Things that make you go hummmm. Then going back past the staircase was an open loft with a lot of large workout equipment and finally the master bedroom. It was a good size but there were no sheets or pillows on the bed. I tried not to feel like I was never going to leave the house alive and that I was in there with a crazy person but things that I was seeing and the way he was acting made me scared. I scanned the bathroom which stunk of bleach and high tailed it backed down stairs.
I just wanted to leave. I didn't care anymore. I didn't want to be with this person. I felt uneasy and nauseated with his odor. I wanted to get in my car, get home and take a shower and hug my family telling them how much I loved them. I hoped that no one had gotten hurt in this house. I was praying that this person was just strange and that nothing sinister was going on. My insides were screaming 'GET OUT! LEAVE! WHAT ARE YOU DOING JUST SITTING HERE? RUN!' But I didn't.
He nervously sat down at the table and asked what I thought of the house. I told him it was a lovely home but had to ask why there was no carpet on the floor of one of the bedrooms. Before he answered, I looked around. Everything was in slow motion. I thought about how I would grab my keys and phone as I ran out the door. I looked at him and thought I could push him down if I rushed him should he try to attack me. All kinds of tactics were running through my brain waiting for him to explain the missing carpet.
I looked at me with a serious look and simply stated that there would be new carpet installed in the morning. I looked at him, he looked at me. I tried to hide the fear I felt with a smile. 'Okay' I simply replied. I went through my presentation fast and left out tons of information. Then out of the blue he stood up and announced I was not the right agent for him. He slowly walked over to my side of the table. I looked at him coming towards me and stood up. I scooped up my belongs as fast as I could and told him I understood. Unceremoniously I was asked to leave. Never had I felt so frightened at an appointment. As the door slammed behind me, I could hear the locks in the door. I sprinted to my car and left.
I was so scared I cried on the way home. Thankful that I was going home.
So the next time all of you out there think that it's easy being a real estate agent. Think again. This is something we have to deal with all the time. I'm just glad I lived to tell the tale.
Until next time....
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