I 've come to sweeten the pot," the man in the white linen suit says. "My original bid was very generous but it seems you need more inducement." He plucks a checkbook from his breast pocket. "What'll it take to close the deal? Five hundred dollarsP" He steps past Henry into the house. They sit down in the kitchen. "As I said, I'll bump my bid up three G's, and you get this five hundred as soon as we shake hands."
        "This sounds like a bribe."
        "It's a bribe only if you don't take it. Dtherwise, it's called sound business practice." He sets the check down on the rniddle of the table. Henry studies the check, made out to no one, and he smiles, and then the man smiles.
        "I'll take it in cash," Henry says, letting the check fall from his hands.
        The man frowns, massages his beard, then whips out his billfold. "Let's see. I only have two hundred and eighty-five dollars on hand. I'll give you a check for the rest. My signature is as good as a gun in a bank."
        Henry nods. "Looks like you just bought a house."
        "I did? Are you sure?"
        Henry shrugs and goes outside. A minute later he returns with the F O R S A L E sign. "She's yours if you want her."
        The man laughs and pumps Henry's hand. "I like you. You're an odd one." He sits down to write the check. "You just sold me your house and I don't even know your name. Who do I make it out to?"
        "Brinkley. Dave Brinkley. But don't give it to me now. Send it to my box in the psych oEice at the state college."
        The man laughs again. "Didn't I say you were odd?" He slips the checkbook away. He picks the cash up oH the table, neatens it into a pile, and presses it into Henry's open palm. They shake hands. The man says his lawyers will contact Henry Monday to work out the details.
        The man drives off in his silver coupe.
        Henry is sitting on the front steps, replaying the events that have left him $285 richer, when the red sports car, top down, pulls up. The same bare-legged woman, now sporting a big sunbonnet and wraparound shades, strolls up the front walk toward Henry, but then abruptly cuts across the lawn to where the FOR SALE sign once stood. She stares at the hole. "Excuse me," she calls to Henry, "does this mean it's sold?"
        He goes over to her at the hole. Her lips are the same red as her car. "I was just driving by and thought I'd take another look. But I guess I'm too late."
        "Hasn't Mrs. Steiner contacted you?"
        "No, why?"
        "Isn't your name -- ? What did she say again?"
        "I'm Dorinne. Dorinne Weiss."
        "That's right. Dorinne. And you haven't spoken to Mrs. Steiner? The house is yours. Honest. She told me, 'Henry, take down that sign. I want that lovely Dorinne lady to live here.' "
        "I can't believe it. This is a joke, right? I better call Mrs. Steiner. "
        "No," Henry says. "She's out of town. Went to see her mother."
        "Mother? She must be very old."
        "That's why she went to see her." He invites Dorinne into the house. For the next forty minutes she examines the rooms, inch by inch.
        The house immediately takes on her particular smell. She says, "Henry, come help me celebrate."
        "Love to," he says. "But first --" He goes to the kitchen and tears the taped envelope from the refrigerator. Inside the envelope he finds important-looking documents. The title and deed to the property. Suddenly, Henry sees Dave Brinkley's plan. When, as instructed, Henry gives Dave Brinkley the envelope, he will be literally turning the house over to him: "Here, take my home, and all the past lives it holds; here, take Marybeth."
        Dorinne points to the documents. "Are those for me?"
        He looks up from the papers, startled by her voice. These should be hers, he thinks; this house should be hers. He curses Mrs. Steiner for choosing Dave Brinkley's money, for being such a bad judge of character. If only she had seen past Dorinne's earrings and accepted her bid, then all Henry had to do was to make Dorinne fall in love with him, and he could stay in the house as long as he liked.
        "Just paper," he says. "Old stuff. They're not important. One says I was married, the other says I'm divorced."
        They go to her car. He opens the driver's door for her. She ties down her hat, knocks o6 her shocs, adjusts her sunglasses in the rearview mirror. She smiles. Those teeth! So healthy and bright! As she throws the car into gear, Henry wonders how long it'll be before she lets him behind the wheel.

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