The Fake People

"Look here honey, these two seem perfect. They're married and one is a gardener, the other a housekeeper.''

Margaret looked at the computer screen, ''that would be nice, they're only 15years older, or do you think it makes a difference?''

"No I say we interview them'' Harold said as he let out a sigh of relief. The possibility of finding the right people to help with their new home had been overwhelming on the busy couple.

The gardener and housekeeper sat inside the coffee shop gazing fixedly at the computer screen, looked at each other and slightly nodded their heads in unison. They sat there in drab gray clothing as they went unnoticed by the café's other occupants.

The two couples made arrangements online to meet at the coffee shop. Harold and Margaret were happy to be getting out as they lived in a rural setting, far from any hustle and bustle. They hadn't even gotten to meet any of their neighbors and as the two were usually quite social, they forward to meeting the Graysons.

Margaret who liked to wear bright and rich colors was taken aback when she saw the Graysons. Margaret had told Mrs. Grayson over the internet that she would be wearing an orange flower in her hair and when the Graysons approached Margaret and Harold, She had a sinking feeling in her stomach.

The Grayson were the most nondescript, plain, cold looking people she had ever seen.

"So you must be the Graysons. You look younger than your age, the both of you.'' Margaret wasn't lying yet was having a hard time being pleasant.

Mr. Grayson spoke without a trace of joy.'' Thank you, shall we sit down?''

Harold having been silent, finally spoke up while feigning an attempt at charm, ''well it's nice to meet the both of you, you can just call me Harold and this is obviously Margaret.'' He stuck out his hand towards Mr. Grayson only to receive a slight nod from the strange pair that stood before he and his wife.

"You may call us Mr. and Mrs. Grayson, shall we sit down? I have a portfolio of my gardening skills you can look at.'' Mr. Grayson spoke in an oddly hollow sound.

The four sat down and Harold opened the portfolio only to be astounded by what he saw. "your not related to Edward Scissor hands?'' Harold made the attempt of being jovial with the solemn couple.

"We don't have any family'' Mrs. Grayson spoke with the same solemn hollow way as her husband. "take a look at the third page.''

Harold tried to smile and flipped to the page. He was staring at the spiral topiary for what seemed like forever when Margaret gave it a glance. Within minutes Harold and Margaret told the couple opposite them in unison,'' You have the job''

To be continued...

Within the next hour, Harold and Margaret were showing the Graysons the guest house they would be staying in. After only a few days, the garden was transformed. All around the property were spiral shaped topiary along with pyramid shapes and intricate plants looking like eyes.

Margaret was compelled over the next few weeks to give Mrs. Grayson many of her clothes and Harold followed suit giving Mr. Grayson most of his clothing.

Margaret's sister, May, having not been able to get through on the phone, decide to take a trip to see if her sister and brother in law were okay and settled in their new home.

May arrived three weeks after the Graysons had been hired. She arrived at the house so intent on seeing Margaret and Harold, she just rushed past all of the work done in the yard to the door.

After ringing the doorbell, May was received by Mrs Grayson. "Hi, do have the right house? I'm looking for Margaret and Harold Olson.'' May said as she looked at the woman in the doorway. "Is that my sisters Necklace?!'' May was starting to wonder what the heck was going on.

"Don't you recognize your own sister?'' Mrs. Grayson spoke charmingly.

"Are you wearing Margarets clothes too?! Who are you, where's my sister and Where is Harold?!'' May was growing frantic and looked behind her. She saw the most drab looking people standing near the guesthouse and ran towards them. When she got closer, she recognized her sister and brother in law. "Margaret, I thought you were supposed to be living in the main house.''

"I'm Mrs. Grayson and Margaret does live in the main house. This is my husband the Gardner, see all the work he has done?''

May stood confused and looked at the spiral, pyramid, and eye shaped topiary. Suddenly her mind went fuzzy and she said,'' Your husband does lovely work, I'm going to go my sister now.'' May just walked over to the main house to have a visit with the fake people.

The end.

Rod Serling would be proud

a reply to: BigBrotherDarkness

thank you for putting a smile on my sour face...just drank lemonade too!

a reply to: peppycat

Oh quite happy return the favor peppycat as reading your stuff often does the same to mine... lemonaide has kept me kidney stone free for about 7 years now.

Well, about a month ago i lost my job for being honest and truthful. Honesty and loyalty are curse to society novadays. Despite everything CONTRA SPEM SPERO!

a reply to: boomstick88

Well, as an employee of whatever company you have to represent them and their policy or image that they expect you to uphold like uniforms etc. it's usually written in the contract when you signed on as an employee... if not then it's a legal matter that can be taken before the courts so I hope you kept a copy of it or that they provided you with one another legal thing they should do btw.

Of course some of them were thinking they could own you when not under operating hours as well... with the whole if you have a facbook or whatever they were demanding the password etc. I think legislation ended that. But without signing a non-disclosure agreement you can say whatever it is you want about your employer as long as it takes place on your time and not theirs unless otherwise written in the contract upon hire that you signed... if no contract was signed? Then that is illegal as well and of course is sometimes used to evade taxes making it a federal matter.

All of the above is US business law so if you live in another country take it with a grain of salt... and if there are no contracts in those countries to protect workers? Unionize... and demand the rights as a worker.

a reply to: BigBrotherDarkness
Relief, relief of everything of all of BS, corporate BS, politics and watching your mouth. I say what i think and what i see. Beauty of dual citizenship and knowing proper channels i can send subpoena to court all the way across a globe to
violating the contract based on my understanding
However, losing good thing is a path to greatness.
Spending time with family and enjoying the life.

a reply to: boomstick88

Seeing change as inevitable makes room for always seeing the possiblity of it being positive... glad you're looking at the benefits and use it as an opportunity for something better to come along and with that attitude? It is likely to occur so don't lose that as a job