“H—Hello?”

“Honey, it’s me,” said a warm, cheerful voice on the other end. “Are you at the club?”

“Yes,” the man replied casually, leaning back in his chair.

“Great!” the voice continued enthusiastically. “I’m at the mall, just two blocks from where you are, and I just saw a beautiful mink coat. It’s absolutely gorgeous! Can I buy it?”

The man raised an eyebrow, the corners of his mouth twitching in surprise. “What’s the price?” he asked.

“Only $1,500.00,” she said, her tone unbothered, as if it were no big deal.

“Well, okay, go ahead and get it if you like it that much,” he said with a shrug.

There was a pause, just long enough for a few of the seniors to glance over, curiosity piqued by the conversation. Then the voice continued, faster this time, as though trying to get everything in before her husband could stop her.

“Ahhh, and I also stopped by the Mercedes dealership. I saw the 2001 models, and there’s one I really liked. I spoke with the salesman, and he gave me a really good price…since we need to exchange the BMW we bought last year…”

The man’s eyes widened slightly. “What price did he quote you?”

“Only $60,000,” she replied cheerfully, as though the number were insignificant.

“Okay, but for that price, I want it with all the options,” he said, his voice calm, even approving.

“Great!” she said, practically bouncing in her seat. “But before we hang up, something else…”

“What?” he asked.

“It might look like a lot,” she continued, “but I was reconciling your bank account this morning, and I stopped by the real estate agent. Remember that house we looked at last year? The one with the pool, the English garden, an acre of park area, and the beachfront property? It’s on sale!!”

The man’s eyes were now wide as saucers. “How much are they asking?”

“Only $450,000,” she said matter-of-factly. “A magnificent price! And I see that we have that much in the bank to cover it…”