After plenty for requests to publish the story of my landlord,here I’m finally relating my experience.I’m an Indian girl,so Please forgive my English
To find an apartment for rent for two single ladies is now officially categorized as herculean task. I had lost count of number of houses that I and my friend, Neha had visited over the past 6 days.
The mobile numbers of brokers filled up my contact list every time we explained the house owner that it is not a family but only two 22 year old unmarried ladies, who are going to move in, he would slowly call the broker to one side of the room and start whispering.
We immediately knew that even this house is gone for a toss. Spinsters are considered as evil witches who cast spell on men and bring them home and do nasty godforsaken things with them. That’s the rumour that these species called house owners heard as their bedtime stories when they were kids.
We tried to politely explain to him that we have got a job here and we work for a well-known MNC as software developers. We will pay rent on time and cause no havoc in whatever little time we get to spend at home after the company sucks out our life each day. But it fell in deaf ears.
We were given 7 days of free accommodation in the company sponsored hotel and we were running out of time. Staying in PG for women seemed to be our only hope. We did not like it one bit. Madiha”! Neha called out loud. She was furiously searching for the houses for rent in Sulekha.
She wanted me to check out this place which was around 6 kms from our office; it had 2 BHK, one open terrace and also 2 bathrooms. The rent quoted was also reasonable. I immediately dialled the number just to get the broker on the other end.
He told us that the place was already nearly booked by someone else but on hearing a female voice, he told us to meet him at a set location and check out the house never-the-less. Me and Neha got dressed and took an auto to the location.
The broker was scary looking man who stood over 6 feet tall and weighed close to 110 kilo’s. He was riding an old Yamaha bike and his bottom engulfed the entire seat. We slowly walked behind him as he took us through a lane.
We walked and walked till we reached dead-end. Neha and I exchanged glances. The last house, Madam”, said the ogre. An independent house with 2 floors with withering paint stared at us 2 BHK ma’am, no pollution, no traffic sound, the owner very good.
The ogre continued in his broken English. He rang the calling bell, and a fat plump lady wearing a saree which displayed her 3 tires around her belly opened the door. Princess Fiona and broker ogre, where is the donkey?
The fat lady had a serious conversation with the broker ogre in their colloquial language. I felt the ground below me shake as her voice boomed over the word rent. Neha was cool. She had already started walking around here and there as if she knew this house was ours for the taking.
No Boyfriends here”, the fat lady’s voice pierced in my head. I was so scared that I nodded by default. The fact that she said boyfriends instead of just boyfriend gave me a feeling that she thought I was a slut, or will become one soon.
Tell your friend also. I again nodded. She went inside and came back with a key and gave it to the broker ogre come, upstairs room. Full ventilation marble flooring Neha looked excited. She liked isolated houses. I like flats with lot of people around me.
I felt secure then and the front room was not that big one bedroom was bigger than the other. The kitchen opened to a terrace where there was so much place clothes hanging you and owner family said the ogre share. Oh!