Of Emergencies and Bolting out of Bed by Konnie Enos

The first thing I was cognizant of this morning was someone (Jerry) banging around in my room. Then I noticed the light, most of it was because Jerry had left several doors open and the light on in the bathroom.

Now, as is usual for me, since I was awake, I stumbled to the bathroom and turned out the light. We do have a nightlight in the bathroom which illuminates the room when there is no other source of light. However, it’s off because the sun is already peaking over the horizon.

After using the bathroom, I stumbled, still not fully awake, back to my bed. While I was doing so, Jerry saw me. “You’re up early.”

I grumbled. “I’m not awake.” Then climbed back into bed, taking the time to adjust my blanket and pillows in just the right way to allow maximum comfort for whatever remaining sleep I could get before I had to wake up for the day.

I had no intention of stirring until it was time to feed the dogs, and without checking the time, I knew it was way too early for that. The sun wasn’t that far up yet.

Then one thought bolted me completely awake.

It’s Wednesday!

I checked the time just before my Wednesday morning alarm went off.

Of course, I posted last week. We switch off every other week, so it isn’t my turn to write the post. But I’m flashing back to the phone call I got Monday night. The phone call that I didn’t do anything about all day Tuesday.

I had thought about possible solutions to the problem but I made no actual effort to do anything about it. So too early in the morning, I’m faced with a looming deadline and the only recourse I have left is to address the issue myself.

So I’m awake and again staring at my screen trying to figure out what to write for the post this morning.

Why isn’t Bonnie writing it?

She is currently dealing with a plumbing issue that requires effort on her part at about two-hour intervals to prevent her apartment from flooding. At this point all she can manage is keeping her house as dry as possible and what little sleep that effort affords her.

When she called Monday night to give me a heads up it was clear that she wasn’t fully awake. Between that and telling me all the effort she’d put into trying to get this issue fixed, I knew she wouldn’t be able to write this week’s post.

When she first rented this apartment, her landlord was easy to contact and he always responded promptly. That changed over the last few years.

She’d had issues even getting her rent check to him and I’m positive this isn’t the first repair that place needed when she could not get ahold of her landlord. I have the feeling he’s ignoring other tenants too.

Now? He hung up on Bonnie. He won’t return messages or make any effort to contact her thus leaving her to deal with the issues on her own.

This time, she’s contacted a lawyer because besides having to deal with the plumbing issue on her own, she’s now missing work. Work she needs to be able to pay rent, though I’m sure a lawyer would tell her that she is well within her rights to not pay rent to her slumlord.

I’m not sure what his endgame is. However, I’m sure he wants to sell the place but it was already run down enough before 2020 that he’d have to invest money, and time, in the building before anyone would even make an offer. Though it’d be more time-consuming and expensive to repair around the tenants.

I think his current lack of response is to get frustrated tenants to move out. Perhaps some of them have. But Bonnie has not only lived there for years but there is no other place she can afford. She’s looked.

I’m hoping she can get this taken care of enough that she’ll be able to do my post next week. I’m also praying her housing situation will improve because one of her only other options is moving in with family members. Most likely me.

The issue with this idea is we don’t have the room.

Melinda is the only one not already sharing a bedroom but that’s because I’m the only other female in the household. And since her old bedframe collapsed earlier this month, she no longer has a spare bed. Acquiring another bunkbed frame was far more expensive than the one we did buy.

All in all, I’m praying she can get things taken care of this week, and without having to move here.

Smile. Make the day a brighter day.