Firefighters or what?

I was sitting in my tiny apartment in St. Paul, MN, searching for places to live in California. I was a college graduate, going onto graduate school at Claremont Graduate University in California. I was looking for a place to live when I saw it in a local online newspaper. Wanted: roommate- Claremont, CA,  1 person, M or F to live with 4 males in a house, 750 a month, includes Garbage, wifi, A/C please contact 555-9287

It was one of the only places/people who wanted  a roommate. I couldn’t afford my own apartment there until I got a job, and I had an interview lined up for when I got there.  I had a few other places in mind, but this one might work. Even if I was living with guys, who cares as long as they’re somewhat clean? Well, we’ll see about it. I bet some of the other ones are nicer. This one can be a last resort.

A week later, I drove to Claremont in my 2005 Malibu. It was mid-July, and I had an appointment with 3 places when I got there. When I had finally arrived in Claremont, I called again, and one of the places had already found another roommate. So with the cancelled appointment, I decided to walk around, and check out the area. Claremont was a nice area, and all of  my desired places were within about a half an hour walk, give or take a five minute drive. I looked at the time, and realized it was almost time for my next appointment, so I walk over to the apartment. The girl who was stuck with giving me a tour, I’m guessing, gave me a tour of a shitty apartment that smelled like smoke, and had stains all over the apartment. The girls who lived there were complete slobs, showing me around, and I would’ve had to share a room with another girl, and she wasn’t nice at all! I decided to leave, and told them I’d let them know.

            The next appointment was in 20 minutes. I walked to the next appointment, with my strenuous habit of needing to be early, I wait for whoever was supposed to show me the place. They were half an hour late! The place was tiny, was two times the original amount, and appartently there had been a few drug busts that had happened there.  Well that’s fucking great. I left the building, sat on the curb, and sighed. Was I even going to find an apartment? There were literally only 5 I could find in the town, 1 was taken by the first time I called, another one taken by the time I arrived here, and the other two were extremely shitty.  As I was about to give up, I remembered the house that I had wanted to use as a last resort. I looked up the number at a local coffee shop that had internet, found it, and called the guy. He didn’t answer, so I asked him to call me back,  and I decided to find a place to eat. I find a local bar, and order a diet coke and some chicken tenders. As I’m waiting for my food, I notice a “NEED HELP” sign. I decided to ask the bartender about it.

“Are you looking for help?” I ask.

“Do you have any experience working as a waitress or bartender” He asks me. Even though I don’t have much experience, I have some.

“I do have some, maybe not as much as you’d like, but I’m a fast learner, and good with people.” I tell him.

“Come in tomorrow with a resume and I’ll interview you.” He said.

“Okay sir.” Yes! I shout in my head, as my food comes.  As I start eating, I get a call from a number I don’t recognize.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Is this Emma, who called about the house?” A deep, sexy voice asks me.

“Yes, this is her! I was wondering if the room was still available, and if it is, I was wondering if I could come see it within the next few days?”

“I’m Noah. The room is still available. But all of us are working various shifts over the next few days, and the only time all of us are able to meet, really is tonight, if that would work for you. Otherwise it could be over a week, before-“

“Yes, that would work! What time would you like me to come over?” Oh please god let this place not be shitty.

“Maybe in an hour?” He gives me the address, and I note that it’s about fifteen minutes away, by car.

“See you then!” I say as he hangs up. Oh please oh please oh please let me find a place to live tonight. I don’t want to pay for a motel.