——– STUART IS STILL , as if frozen , unsure of what to make of what he is seeing . a ghost - some phantom , the previous occupant of the house ? he ’ s been told some sensationalized story by the realtor about a tragic suicide or something of the sort , but this is surreal .
he cannot say it is unbelievable , though . perhaps more plausible to him than it might be to others , he finds himself compelled to oblige , setting the unlit cigarette down on the wrinkled sheet . he is not a tidy man , and he pays no house staff .
“ a - all due respect , i live here now . ”
‘ all due respect. ’ she mimics his accent, adding a slight whine, tone acquiring a pitched, irritating cadence. vague, transparent eyes scan the man before her, narrowing upon the sight of his worn jeans, tired eyes. if it was possible, her face would have grown a shade paler.
‘ oh god, with the likes of you moving in - don’t tell me, has the property value gone down? ’