Saturday, November 15, 2014

#31: The Night Out At The Art Gallery, Part 3

After the art gallery, the foursome walked next door to the Solar Flare Lounge.



 

Three of them sat down to wait for their table, and Derek went over to check out the comedian.

 

"Hey, that fellow's mighty funny!" Derek announced upon joining them at their table.


"Well, here's to us Utopians!" Peter toasted, jovially.


He shot a sideways glance at Lou, who he knew was tired of living in the Utopia House.


"I really like the group environment," Peter offered.  "I'm not one of those 'solitary' painters--I actually like the buzz of everyone's activities."


"I feel exactly the same, Peter!" Kelly said sunnily.  "I love watching Regina's garden grow, and all the nice things Bill builds at his woodworking table."


"And I just LOVE having all of you to cook for!  Of course, I couldn't manage it without Alice," she added hastily.

Lou looked annoyed, as usual.  "Well I, for one, can't wait till this is over," she announced.  And our two weeks are up 3 days from today.  At which point I'M going to start looking for a job!"


(The town of Willow Creek had a requirement that new residents had to live in the town--and pay taxes--for two weeks before becoming eligible to apply for work.)

"But, Lou," Derek countered, "as you well know--because you take care of the household's finances--the taxes in this town are so high that, if some of us start leaving, those left might not be able to pay the bills."


"Well, none of you are going to miss MY income, because it's so miniscule!" she said, sounding bitter.


"Then how do you expect to afford your own place?" Derek asked her.


"Maybe after SOME of us move out, the rest of us can get a smaller place," Lou said, sounding annoyed again.


Kelly felt sad.  She knew the person Lou wanted MOST to get rid of was Alice.








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