Cheap Thrills 1:
The Rent is Too Damn High
Part 1
I walked in, picked up my mail off of the end table, and thumbed through it half-heartedly not really expecting any good news. It was the additional student loan bill; however , that grated against my soul like fingernails on a chalk board. I opened it and realized my payments were going to be more than I could afford. I was on the phone right away as I walked into the basement I rented from my land lady and I didn't want her to hear me going off.
The conversation took about an hour and at the end of it I was still stuck. I looked around the finished walls and tried to figure out how I was going to be able to stay there. I was tired after working overtime and talking to the dingle berries for my student aid. The door to the basement opened and I heard Minnie call for me.
"Is everything alright?"
"Yes ma'am." sooner or later I was going to have to tell her.
"Well, I cooked extra so if you want something to eat it's in the fridge."
Minnie was like that. She was my landlady but she took care of me too. Her husband had died about 5 years ago, and instead of staying in the big house they had alone she had rented out half of it. She was really sweet and stayed to herself so it worked out, although neither one of us really ever had company over. I was too afraid to bring a chic over and have her getting loud while we were handling what we needed to and Minnie just hadn't been interested ever since she lost her husband.
I sighed in reluctance, filled out a check because rent was due, and went upstairs to eat. I knew whatever she'd made was going to be good, besides good food always kinda brings you out of the doldrums. Minnie was always very courteous, I placed the check on the end table and went to eat. She waited for me to finish eating and as I cleaned the table, Minnie poured me a Jack and Coke. It was a little odd but I picked it up and drank half down. It hit me instantly because I don't usually drink and the warm feeling was welcome.
"I know you like whiskey. We never talked about what kind so I just got you some Jack. How is it?"
"Not bad, whiskey is whiskey if your not paying for it." she smiled quaintly at my comment.
"Wanna sit on the sofa?"
"Sure," I had no idea what else to say. We'd never really spoken before beyond when I first started renting a year ago. Initially it was for a six month contract but after that she had told me to stay as long as I wanted as long as I paid by the fifth.
Minnie sat down and curled her legs under her. The t-shirt she was wearing was old and saggy in the neck tempting me with a view of her beautiful cleavage but stopping far short. I imagined I could smell her pheromones through her breathable cotton pajama bottoms. I was a little uncomfortable sitting with her as I tried not to look for the outline of her bra under that old thin t-shirt.