Right, so this entry.
As you may or may not have noticed, this blog, the very one that is meant to bolster my career as a writer, has merely become musings from my life. They are perhaps creative non-fiction but really it's observation based entries with the occasional anecdote thrown in. I said to my self, "Self, you should give the readers a fine example of your skills as a fiction writer!" So that is exactly what I'm going to do. The following story is definitely not based on my apartment hunting experience in Chicago. This is fictional and I made it up. All of it.
9:40
Catie had made it.
After driving for nearly six hours, navigating her way through down town traffic, and listening to the same CD through the state of Indiana, she had made it.
Hidalgo: The Breezy City.
The past year had been filled with various opportunities to visit the city, all of which she took. Writing conferences, academic presentations, and schmoozing the boyfriend's family had brought her back time and time again. Even better, they were structured visits organized by someone else. She was always tagging along and tricking passerby into believe she was one of them. Catie was not nervous for this new adventure, though. She saw it as a chance to tip toe into adulthood and do it without anyone noticing. She was tired of the constant barrage of Wellwudyagonnadothere questions that seemed to mock her decision to pick up and move. Catie had no idea what she was going to do there and that delighted her.
One part of the plan was certain: an apartment must be found. Hannah, Catie's soon-to-be roommate, had gotten a job in a northern suburb of Hidalgo. As soon as Catie found out that her friend from college would be moving, she jumped on board and volunteered to be the second half of the rent check. It didn't bother Catie that she herself was unemployed; she knew she'd find something eventually. But neither Catie or Hannah had ever had to deal with landlords or leases or utilities that are-or-aren't included. In retrospect, because I the narrator have that, Catie was not correctly going about the apartment hunt. She had contacted a professional service, one that had been recommended, and made an appointment. She assumed that a professional service would offer far more help than conducting the search on her own. Besides, they're professionals! This is what they do!
Catie slept over at a friend's apartment, anxious for the early morning meeting but ultimately pleased with herself. She had done it. She had taken the initiative and the process was moving forward. She was going to find the perfect apartment and Hannah was going to love it. She awoke the next morning earlier than the alarm was set and went over all the questions she would ask at the meeting. She couldn't wait to impress the agents with all of the research she had done. She walked into the kitchen to find her friend and her room mate eating breakfast.
"So, Catie, how are you getting to your appointment?" asked the friend.
"I figured I'd catch a cab."
The other two girls exchanged glances.
"Wait," said Catie, "that's a thing, right?"
The friend thought for a moment before speaking.
"Yes. But not around here."
The two girls set to work, creating verbal maps of their neighborhood, pointing and naming landmarks, directing Catie to an area that might have cabs. They were saying things like They should be there and I think I've seen them there before. But Catie wasn't worried--it was her day to shine.
Catie's appointment was at 9:00. She arrived at 9:06. The reason for her tardiness is another story, but know that it involves those cabs that should be there.
The company was called PlaceHolders and the office was in a part of Hidalgo called GuysVille. Guysville is called this because of the number of good looking guys in the area. Catie burst through the front doors and, panting slightly, announced: "I am Catie! And I have an appointment!" The three receptionists burst into applause and the one with the large fake breasts offered her a warm chocolate chip cookie. She also gave her a form to fill out and motioned to a large leather couch. "Make yourself at home!" the chirped, her ample bosoms muffling the sound of her voice. Make yourself at home, laughed Catie to herself. Don't mind if I do. She sank deeper into the couch's leather, allowing her sweaty shirt to crystalize in the ice cold air conditioning. The flat screen was showing a live qualifying round of something happening in water: women's water polo or synchronized swimming perhaps. A tall man in a sleek suit appeared from a back room.
"Catherine?" he asked, all of his teeth showing.
"That's me!" said Catie, jumping in the air.
"Let's go get you an apartment!" And his sleek grey suit was already headed upstairs to the offices.
The man was named Todd and he was delighted to help such a pretty, well prepared young lady. He made small talk while he showed her to a small cubicle, outfitted only with a desk, two chairs, and a computer. Todd said, "I'll tell Amanda you're here." He disappeared around the cubicle wall. Catie checked her watch. It was 9:26.
At 9:31 Amanda shuffled into the seat opposite Catie, a large designer bag draped over her petite frame. Amanda put the bag on the floor, revealing her perfectly round pregnant stomach. The freckles on her skin had seen too much sun and they all melted together into a bronzey layer of pseudo-tan. She had choppy light hair pulled back away from her pale eyes. Her printed sundress hung tight on her figure but it was still flattering; skinny arms, skinny legs, skinny face, huge boobs, and that little round tummy. And there on her left ring finger she wore a wedding ring: two pewter squares connected by a single stone. Amanda looked like art.
Catie told her what I wanted. She gave her a price and a neighborhood and she watched her enter the information into the search system. Catie imagined all of the wonderful places Amanda would take her in her car, the baby kicking inside as Catie spun around with open arms in the living room of the new place. She would call Hannah and they would celebrate across time zones. I'll take it! Catie would exclaim. I'll take it!
Amanda turned the monitor to face her.
"So these are your choices."
Catie squinted at the screen. There were three properties listed. In the entire city of Hidalgo there were three apartments.
"And these two," said Amanda tapping the screen with her pen, "have a start date of August 1. Which is Wednesday. So do you think you could be in by then?"
Catie's eyes shot away from the screen and into Amanda's.
"No, I don't think that will work."
"Hmm." Amanda took a blank map from her bag and began drawing on it with her pen. "So that leaves you with one place. And it's right here." She circled a seemingly empty spot on the map. "It's not really near....anything. You said you wanted to be near public transit?"
"Mmm hmm."
"I see. Well the good news is you're about six blocks from a bus which will then take you to the violet line or the apricot line. That's about a 45 minute bus ride to get there. Then once you're on the train, you'll have to transfer after you've ridden about a block or two, and at that point you can hop on any of the other train lines. But only between the hours of four and five in the evening."
"What do we do if it's not between four or five?"
"Hmm. I don't know." Amanda's eyes narrowed in on Catie. "You don't look happy."
"Well, I don't understand how we're only eligible for one apartment."
"Hmmmm." Amanda nodded, her hair unmoving. "Well I think the problem here is your budget. It's just..." Amanda trailed off. "It's too low, is what it is. And I just don't think you're going to....hmm...find anything....hmm....here...specifically." Her square wedding ring hovered over the map to which she was referencing.
"What do I do now?" Catie no longer felt pretty or well prepared. She was panicked.
"We usually tell our clients to go home until we find something. It's just a shame that you drove all the way here." Amanda's shiny face tilted a little in feigned compassion.
Catie looked at her watch. It was 9:40.
And that's the end of Part I! There is a Part II that is also fiction. Wait for that?
In unrelated news, here are my top two biggest crushes of the 2012 Olympic Games. I thought about this a lot and I'm pretty proud of my picks. The double golds go to:
- Nathan Adrian; Swimming; Best smile this side of the equator.
- Allyson Felix; Track; Never breaks a sweat and is basically the cutest.
I'm heading back to Hadalgo Chicago this weekend. I assume everything will go smoothly. Right?
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