long distance trouble

Oh dear oh dear oh dear. Q is sitting at her desk looking quite distraught and sighing loudly, over and over with good cause. The apartment in NYC (the place where you just can’t get one!) is in danger as is the $2000.00 deposit that A had given “the landlady”. Q put up an ad on Craig’s List to sublet the apartment until her arrival in September, because in order to get it they had to pay July and August rents. The tale of how many and how quickly came the queries to that ad is another story all together. They had many possible takers lined up to see the apartment this morning at 1030 hours EST. Their good friend J. who lives in New York was going to show the apartment and screen the candidates for them. Housing is so tight many of these people sent Q their resumes, and some sent photographs! The apartment is unfurnished!

Last night her friend J called after we arrived home at 1900 hours. We had a splendid afternoon of gym, lunch at Paul’s and shopping in Agdal and were ready to sit down, relax, and enjoy our purchases from La Vie en Rose. J tells her she has been unable to contact the landlady – yes the one A gave a check to for $2000.00 of their limited budget. A was on his way into Ghana (the plane was late, duh). Finally late last night he arrives in Ghana, a bit stunned I’m sure, and Q told him the status and that he needed to put a hold on the checks on Monday if it turns out to be some horrid scam. Background: He left Boston to go to NYC and look at the apartments that Q had found through the paper, Craig’s list, and referrals, and sign the lease and put down the deposit. You have to admire a young couple that can work together while over 3000 miles apart. Then he went back to Boston, packed up and left for two months in Ghana for some study for Harvard.

Just before she got A on the telephone Q found their apartment listed on Craig’s list for rent. Da da da dum. However I suggested it could just be an ad still running out its time, the landlady could be out of town (A did NOT get a key. Don’t ask Me?), and it was still early in NYC when she last spoke to J….

Q left it very late last night our time with another call to the landlady saying if they do not hear from her by Monday they will put a hold on the check. It is such a no win situation. If the woman is just off doodling her thumbs somewhere they are still out money every day the apartment sits empty. The worse case scenario is it is some horrid scam, and she is out an apartment when she lands in NYC in September.

I have just sent her back up to bed. She had very little sleep last night, none of it good, and with the time difference there is nothing she can do. She has that horrid defeated look that you get when you know matters are beyond your control – in spite of all the effort you put in to do just that. Ah yes the mother-rage is building. Do you think that woman has ANY idea how fortunate (as in to keep breathing) she is that I am 3000 miles away!? Why do people behave in such fashion? Grrrr
It has fled my mind what ever I was going to write about today. I think it will be a good day for a boxing session at the gym. Uh huh.