Interesting Lives

It's amazing to me when people call and ask "if it's ok" if they are going to be late with thier rent. Well, I am thinking as they are asking........"NOooooooooooooooooo". They have puppy dog voices over the phone, (whimper whimper)," I am sooooo sorry. I had pnemonia all of last month and I haven't gotten my check. How much will the late fees be? Sniff." Or the clasic....."I have to move suddenly, it's an emergency, I lost my job. Will we get our security deposit back?" The answers to these questions and comments make my throat close and my head spin. Are they serious? Why bother with the lease if they aren't going to read it or abide by it? The best yet was a renter who claimed she had mailed her rent on the 4th of the month. When we recieved the envelope it was dated the 5th which by our mail in policy is O.K. Yet, when we opened the envelope the money order was dated the the 8th. Scary! People finagle anything to get out of late fees. And as always I think about all the lives neccessary to run our business. Women and men with so many daily connections taking place. It's all very interesting.