The Old Apartment

Under the Neon
More pictures by d.b. blas

I've been car-pooling with a friend of mine on Tuesdays and Thursdays- the same friend who's been renting my old apartment from me for a few months. Yesterday, he tells me, "We have to talk." Now, when someone says this to you, no good can come of it since (in my experience) this phrase is most used when your significant other wants to breakup with you. Egads!

My brain starts racing to figure out what I've done wrong.  I can't think of a single time I've spoken badly about this person or crossed paths with him.  I am stumped.

So, we get to the car and proceed down the freeway.  The silence is deafening.  Well, that or the ambient sound of the car engine is causing my hearing loss.  Either way, it's uncomfortable to be sitting there, not talking.  So, with my usual social grace, I abruptly tell him, "Out with it."

Seems that my friend was unexpectedly laid off.  Bummer for him.  In fact, lotsa bummer for him.  He didn't even see it coming.  In fact, he thought things were on their way to getting much, much better.

As the effects from this single event start to trickle down, he tries to give me a heads-up.  To the point: he may need to be out of the apartment by December 1 (ie. not able to pay rent) unless he fins another IT job, pronto.

Now, I know I've been yammering on and on about how much I miss San Diego, how I can't wait to move back, and how much I miss my little apartment.  All of this is still true.  However, with my finances the way they are (on the road to recovery), I was hoping to delay this otherwise wonderful moment until June or July of 2006.  That way I'd, you know, actually be able to afford it.

So, I'm wrestling with this decision.  Do I move back in and live part time in SD and part time in T-mec, taking advantage of the proximity to school and such, but also living as a pauper?  Or do I move out of the apartment altogether, because Mike has ties that don't allow him to take up residence in SD for another 2 years anyway?

These are the days of my life....