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    Good Housekeeping: Computers, Coyotes, And Dust Bunnies
    Good Housekeeping: Computers, Coyotes, And Dust Bunnies
    Good Housekeeping: Computers, Coyotes, And Dust Bunnies
    Ebook107 pages1 hour

    Good Housekeeping: Computers, Coyotes, And Dust Bunnies

    By Robert Conder

    ()

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    About this ebook

    Harry and Charlie are on top of the world; their computer game is a number one best seller. After the FBI arrests the company's CEO for some questionable business practices, they are out of a job, and no one will hire them. Even with the help of a State employment specialist, the only job they can find is working for "Good House Keeping" the valley's premier domestic house cleaners. Harry and Charlie are fish out of water, as most of their co-workers are undocumented. For the first time Harry and Charlie need to learn how to clean in order to pay their rent.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBookBaby
    Release dateJul 17, 2017
    ISBN9781543904444
    Good Housekeeping: Computers, Coyotes, And Dust Bunnies

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      Book preview

      Good Housekeeping - Robert Conder

      Author

      The city always bustles; everyone moves with a strong walk, a purpose, and all talk or text on cell phones. Life moves vibrant. Along with the other pedestrians a taco street merchant walks his cart along the street as he prepares for the day’s business.

      Harry, smart, quick thinking, good-looking drives a newer small eco-friendly 4-door car. Charlie, brainy, less groomed, and the perfect sidekick rides shotgun, they to have a mission to accomplish and move with determination and speed.

      Harry turns another corner and the tires squeal. He weaves in and out of traffic as hones honk and gestures fly toward them. He turns another corner and almost hits the taco street merchant. They drive off as the vendor shakes his fist and yells after them, Te maldigo con tiempos difìciles. (I curse you with hard times.)

      Harry, turns the car into a large multi-level garage. He swipes his pass and the arm rises. Again, he hits the gas, and the tires squeal as he turns the car up to the next level.

      Harry drives through the full parking garage. He searches for one empty stall. He sees one, next to a huge SUV. He guns it and pulls up to find the oversized SUV takes up one and a half spaces; no room.

      As they slowly continue they see nothing, another level full, and another. Finally, at the very top, level 14 where the sun beats down on them, and the city smog is visible, they find it. One small empty stall next to the concrete wall.

      Harry parks and jumps out. The car is so close to the wall Charlie can barely squeeze his skinny butt out, Why do I always get the wall side? They both sprint for the stairs.

      Harry, in the lead takes two steps at a time. Let’s go, let’s go get the lead out old man.

      Charlie, almost a full flight behind breathes heavy. Don’t yell at me, you were the one who had to play one more game. The girls and I were ready to go hours before your championship round.

      Harry yells back. Yeah but what a great night, wine, women, song, and Terrene Obliteration 7. What a great game! With a broad smile across his face, he adds, I wonder who wrote it?

      Finally, they reach the ground level. Charlie answers, We did, oh great one, we wrote it.

      Yes, we did. Kind sir, yes we did. They both push hard against the steel door.

      In another part of the world, a rusted steel door opens hard against a crumbling adobe building. Miguel, a stout man with salt and pepper hair, an untrimmed moustache and rugged clothes steps into the morning sun. He holds a worn bottle of water high for all to see. Several people wait for him to speak. Many muddle in family groups. Small bags, bedrolls, and backpacks hold their only belongings.

      Miguel stands and surveys the group. Water my friends. Water is the most important thing for you this day. Drink your fill. Fill your canteens, your bottles, and your bellies. We leave in one hour. Stragglers hurries to join the others, they stand in line for the one water spigot that rises from the sand. Isabella, dressed well for this group, carries a high-tech well-packed backpack. She has done this before evident in her careful preparations.

      Isabella helps an old man; Jose sits down. His legs are weak, his determination strong. She opens her canteen for him, and he drinks. She helps others with their belongings and fills their water bottles.

      Miguel watches for a moment, then ambles to them. More relatives Isabella?

      She walks to face him. This is Jose Guillermo.

      Miguel just shakes his head. He is too old and frail for this journey, he will die in the desert. We cannot help you today.

      Isabella digs in her backpack and pulls out a thick envelope. She hands it to Miguel who opens it and counts the crisp bills inside. He smiles. Always nice doing business with you... He will still die in the desert.

      Miguel turns to the others and walks back to the door. We leave in one hour.

      Harry and Charlie run down the street. They bob and weave through people like running backs headed for the game-winning goal line. They turn to cross the street in the middle of the block as a limo pulls to the curb. The driver slams on his brakes; he almost hits them. Without caring, they run on.

      Inside the limo, Li Qiang Tian, a successful well-dressed middle-aged Asian man, calmly looks up. Leu, a spoiled, beautiful woman, at least half his age sits next to him.

      The limo parks and Chin, the driver, gets out and reaches to open the back door for Li Qiang and Leu. They exit and walk into a large private bank.

      Chin then walks up to the outside ATM and pulls several bank cards from his pocket. He inserts the first one in the machine. He looks at a three by five card in his hand; it has several different pin numbers on it. He pushes various buttons and money flows. He checks the first pin number off and repeats the process.

      At the end of the block, sits a large glass office building the world headquarters of Syntax Gaming, where everything about it revolves around having fun, playing, and creating very financially successful computer games.

      Harry and Charlie enter; hurry past the empty receptionist desk. Harry looks around and feels something isn’t right. Charlie, where’s Mrs. Betts?

      Probably at lunch, how would I know?

      She eats at her desk and never leaves.

      Harry and Charlie move on down the hall. They turn a corner there is Mrs. Betts, a senior woman out of place in this youth-oriented world. She kneels on the floor and struggles to pick up files and papers, which have scattered. She places them from a broken box to a new one.

      Charlie runs past her; Harry stops and kneels to help her; begins to pick up the files. Good morning Mrs. Betts.

      Something’s wrong Harry, something’s very wrong.

      Harry smiles, and kneels he helps. They just don’t make boxes like they use to, do they?

      No, no they don’t. But, that’s not what I mean.

      Harry helps her up and picks up the boxes, and they walk back to her desk,

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