Chapter 6

My mom had spoken to my Landlord. That's what had happened. She was the only one I had told. So that explains how mom knew. The 'Mom's Network.' Amazing!

"When did you speak to her?" I asked, with Lindie and Michelle Bubble-Wrapping me comfortably.

"She called on Friday.mom told me. "I guess while you were driving here from Stewart City,"

"Really," I said.

"She mentioned you had talked to her Thursday evening," my mom explained. "After work, I guess."

"I will admit that I was very upset on Thursday and yes, that's when I told her I'd have to leave," I said. "When she asked why, I told her I was being let go."

After a short pause, I asked my mom, "Why did she call you?"

"Well, she said she was sorry you lost your job. She said it sounded like it wasn't your fault and you were the Scape Goat. I'm not sure about all of the details but you can tell me later about all that.

"Anyway, she did mention she was not happy you had to leave but that every cloud sometimes has a silver lining."

I wasn't sure what that comment meant. My life had just fallen apart, again, and they were talking about a silver lining. I thought that I was missing something when mom continued.

"It was then she told me you two had come to an agreement. You wanted to use your security for your last month's rent. Right?"

"Yes. That's what I had asked her," I said, still a little confused.

"She did say, you two had agreed about that."

"Yes," I replied.

"Anyway," my mom continued, "She said she already had a person who had given a deposit on your apartment."

"Wow!," I said rather surprised. "She doesn't let any grass grow between her toes. Does she."

"Things like that do happen," Lindie commented. "We had to move out over a weekend once." Sadly she added, "But it wasn't our choice though."

"Your landlord mentioned that it was just a chance happening. She hadn't even set out an advertisement or anything yet.

"This person was a walk in. It just happened. By chance.

"But that's not the half of it," mom added. "This new person wants to move in by the first of June!!"

My eyes grew wide and, "Wow!" dashed from my mouth.

I looked at Lindie and then Michelle. I could see the wheels were turning in both of their brains. They both had broad smiles spread across their faces.

"We can help you move, dad," Michelle excitedly said.

"But that's not the real thing she called about," Mom continued. "She said if you can vacate this weekend, by Monday, and that means by tomorrow, she will give you back your security in full. Plus she will refund May's rent."

"Really?" I asked.

"That way, your landlord will be able to get the apartment painted and spruced up before the new person moves in June first. That will give her a full week to get that work done."

"Makes sense," Lindie added, keeping in the conversation.

"There's more," mom said. "If you can do it, she will give you another $500 which the new tenant has offered because of the short notice for you to move out!"

My jaw dropped on that one.

Mom wasn't finished though. She added one more thing. "The new person liked your TV. They don't have one and they know how expensive yours was. So if you leave it, and the player, they will give you a grand for that stuff."

Life sure has an interesting way of beating you down and then lifting you up high! My first thought was spoken out loud. "That's more than I paid for the pair.

"Plus," I told everyone, "I did have to pay to have it installed. So I'll get that money back too.

"I did have an agreement with the landlord where I'd pay to have the wall mounting removal and the pay for the wall to be sealed up when I moved out. So the money from the new tenant would definitely pay for the original cost for the TV and installation and that save me money now because I wouldn't have to pay to fix up the wall."