My brother brought his new girlfriend to meet the family and she asked to see the basement within five minutes.
Not casually.
Specifically.
Her: Do you have a basement?
Mom: Yes, why?
Her: Can I see it?
Mom: Right now?
Her: If that's okay.
Nobody knew what to do.
She went to the basement.
Alone.
Stayed for twelve minutes.
Came back up.
Her: Nice foundation.
Dad: (confused) Thank you?
Her: Poured concrete. 1970s probably.
Dad: 1974.
Her: Thought so. Good drainage slope too.
Me: (to my brother quietly) What does she do?
Brother: Structural engineer.
Me: So this is professional?
Brother: She does this everywhere.
Me: Basements?
Brother: Foundations specifically.
Me: At family dinners?
Brother: At all buildings she enters.
She spent the rest of dinner commenting on load-bearing walls.
Her: That column is decorative.
Dad: It's not.
Her: It's not carrying anything.
Dad: How can you tell?
Her: Vibration. I tapped it.
Dad: When?
Her: While you were getting drinks.
Mom: (to my brother) She taps things?
Brother: Professionally.
Mom: And socially?
Brother: Sometimes the lines blur.
After dinner she asked about the attic.
Mom: Why?
Her: Roof trusses.
Dad: What about them?
Her: I want to see if they're original.
Dad: Does it matter?
Her: Only if you care about your ceiling staying up.
Dad: (pause) I do care about that.
Her: Then show me the attic.
She found a minor issue with the bracing.
Recommended a contractor.
Dad called him Monday.
Problem fixed by Friday.
She's invited to every family event now.
Not for the relationship.
For the structural assessments.
Brother knows.
He's fine with it.
Пока в Нод Крае на Ивана Купала Флинс с Иллуги влюбленно прыгают через костер, в лесочке под Снежноградом в темноте раздаются вопли
-ФЕОФАН, куда ты меня ведешь, папортник не цветет, он размножается спорами!
-Если найдем, то получим клад!
-Какой клад, у тебя и так целый банк!
На