The lawyer who had plans to evict John had an office in Norfolk, Virginia. Not to be outdone by the traffic congestion in Virginia Beach, Norfolk had their own problems to deal with: constant construction and commuter traffic. Parking was always an ordeal and John hated using the meters on the streets. It just didn't seem right to him to pay to park. He was also not all that comfortable leaving his Jeep out on a busy street. As expected, he had to endure three detours due to a new multi-level shopping complex going up and a road-widening project all at the same location. This, he had read, was all part of a revitalization that was going on in the downtown area. It was a desperate attempt to make tired old city seem appealing. It would probably go under in less than two years, John thought bitterly as he drove past the construction site. But at least the project was giving people work.
He remembered a little art supply store that usually had a few empty parking spaces and no sign telling people to stay out.
He slowly made his way around the potholes and detour signs and made a left on Waterside Drive. This led him through two busy intersections and then to the art supply store where he found plenty of empty spaces. There was now a blue City of Norfolk sign posted with something about a time limit and towing enforced. He ignored it and locked up the Jeep for the seven-block hike to the lawyer's office.
After the long early Wednesday morning walk along the sidewalks of Norfolk, he finally came to the high-rise building where the lawyer had his office. This was John's first visit to the office. He usually mailed his rent check and had never even met the lawyer. Most of his dealings had been through a management company who looked after John's office building. In the lobby of the high-rise, he saw that the lawyer's office was on the thirteenth floor.
The office was on the interior, situated right next to the set of elevators. John walked in and asked the very prim young woman behind the front desk if he could see Phillip King. She talked with someone using her headset and told him to go on back. She nodded to the open door beside her that led to a small hallway. Another woman waited at the end of the hallway and directed him into Phillip King's office.
The lawyer didn't stand or even look up. "Come on in," he said with a loud, booming voice. "Just trying to finish something up here. Have a seat for me."