Somehow, he kept from rolling his eyes at the other person on the phone. "Unfortunately, sir, you were misinformed. The installation fee can only be reduced by twenty percent with the promotion we were running. However, I'm sure I can get the payments for your first two months waived, in light of this...miscommunication." Carter Syndel bit his lip to keep from groaning in frustration as the customer kept on going. Complaining about how some guy named 'Garrett' had told him that the installation would be half price, that he'd get a discount for the first six months, and that they could come in to put in the security cameras whenever he wanted. There was a fair chance the old man on the other end of the line was making it all up.
On the other hand, Carter knew that a guy named Garrett had been let go from Oswald Security recently, so there was just as much a chance that Garrett had tried to twist things in order to make a sale. That was the difference between Carter and most people; he knew just how far to exaggerate in order to get things done. Oswald Security Systems was one of the many companies Carter worked for, but whenever anyone asked him what he did, his answer was that he was a freelancer. Which he was, by many senses of the word.
Oswald Security had him on call as an installer and general contracter. He helped out a friend of his, Brian, on his construction crew for one week a month whenever the weather was good. And he was on good terms with a factory owner who occasionally needed a hand on the assembly line or with general cleanup and maintenance of their trucks, and not only was Carter happy to have so many different jobs at once, he felt like it made life interesting to constantly change tracks. He was certainly talented enough to do so, and at the tender age of twenty nine it wasn't as if his career path was set. The many jobs he held certainly proved he was smart enough to do something else, and at six feet and a hundred and eighty fit pounds, he was certainly big enough to handle any physical task in front of him (even if he wasn't nearly as ripped as Brian was).
Carter made good money; good enough to pay for the house he lived in on his own (something he hadn't had to do until recently when his girlfriend broke up with him), and to refuse work on occasion if he wanted to relax with his buddies. But not good enough to buy something like the house next door; a building that didn't exactly dwarf his two story home, but with the pool in the backyard and the immaculate lawn and decorations, he couldn't help but occasionally feel a pang of envy whenever he saw it. Which was often.
As the phone call finished, and he started to head to find his work uniform (or at least this particular work uniform), he cast a glance outside. The neighbors had told hi they'd be on vacation for several months but also that they'd hired a housesitter, which suited Carter fine. Looking after their place for a week was one thing, but during the summer for several months meant taking care of the pool, to say nothing of their pets...
He frowned. Did they actually have any pets?
He'd have to ask whoever ended up looking after the house.
On the other hand, Carter knew that a guy named Garrett had been let go from Oswald Security recently, so there was just as much a chance that Garrett had tried to twist things in order to make a sale. That was the difference between Carter and most people; he knew just how far to exaggerate in order to get things done. Oswald Security Systems was one of the many companies Carter worked for, but whenever anyone asked him what he did, his answer was that he was a freelancer. Which he was, by many senses of the word.
Oswald Security had him on call as an installer and general contracter. He helped out a friend of his, Brian, on his construction crew for one week a month whenever the weather was good. And he was on good terms with a factory owner who occasionally needed a hand on the assembly line or with general cleanup and maintenance of their trucks, and not only was Carter happy to have so many different jobs at once, he felt like it made life interesting to constantly change tracks. He was certainly talented enough to do so, and at the tender age of twenty nine it wasn't as if his career path was set. The many jobs he held certainly proved he was smart enough to do something else, and at six feet and a hundred and eighty fit pounds, he was certainly big enough to handle any physical task in front of him (even if he wasn't nearly as ripped as Brian was).
Carter made good money; good enough to pay for the house he lived in on his own (something he hadn't had to do until recently when his girlfriend broke up with him), and to refuse work on occasion if he wanted to relax with his buddies. But not good enough to buy something like the house next door; a building that didn't exactly dwarf his two story home, but with the pool in the backyard and the immaculate lawn and decorations, he couldn't help but occasionally feel a pang of envy whenever he saw it. Which was often.
As the phone call finished, and he started to head to find his work uniform (or at least this particular work uniform), he cast a glance outside. The neighbors had told hi they'd be on vacation for several months but also that they'd hired a housesitter, which suited Carter fine. Looking after their place for a week was one thing, but during the summer for several months meant taking care of the pool, to say nothing of their pets...
He frowned. Did they actually have any pets?
He'd have to ask whoever ended up looking after the house.