As soon as I was able, I went to Dad’s house to prepare it for the new tenants. I stood out front for a moment, gazing upon this place where I arrived as a boy and left as a man. Given the things I’ve had on my mind lately, that thought made me feel warm inside, confirming the importance of my purpose. When Desi leaves us, I want her to be ready to take on the world. She can come back if she wants, but I want her to be in a place where she doesn’t have to. I thought I might feel sad being here again, but I could appreciate the memories I found in every corner. Those memories are precious to me, and I don’t want my tenants tainting them, so I decided I should redecorate a little. I really wanted to do a complete refresh, but I just bought a third house, and I’m not balling like that anymore. Besides, I want this house to continue its purpose and be a launchpad for a young family who wants a nice, safe place to raise their children. I wouldn’t want to decorate so much and price them out of their budget, so I kept it modest.
Because I want to rent to a young family, I put two beds and desks upstairs for a couple of kids or teens and turned the office into a nursery. Once I was satisfied with what I had accomplished, I went home and walked Rosie. Afterward, I went to the rental website to see who was looking for a home. I thought about asking Dub if he had any tips about being a landlord, but he’s so triggered by his tenants. It can’t be that hard, though. Sadly, I didn’t see any families. There were a bunch of singles and a pair of roommates. One old guy had four cats. I love the fur babies and all, but four of them? That’s a bit much. And cats are different than dogs. Plus, I know this is bad, but I can’t handle another death right now, so I was immediately disinterested in the old man. The roommates are young adults, and while I kinda want to give them a chance, I don’t want to run the risk of them being party animals and destroying my dad’s house. The safest bet seems to be one of the adults. One guy looks a bit older than us and gives the impression he’s looking to get settled before retirement. Another one looks around my age. I imagine he’s either looking to put down roots for a family or has been doing well in his career and wants to upgrade his living situation without committing to homeowner woes. Whatever their stories are, I hope they won’t be any trouble.
