Mad Tenants

The girls really were lovely.

Mr. Pandrick thought so, but he never made that a reason to treat them better than anyone else, it was almost intentional. Every time he saw an attractive female, he would consciously be treating them as equal.

And the rent, never, would he allow even the slightest of flexibilities for rent, regardless of looks, regardless of anything.

"You can move in right now, but make sure to pay the rent on time, there will be no exceptions ladies," Pandrick said.

"You can be sure of that Mr. Pandrick," the black haired responded,

"We will make sure to pay the rent on time."

"Alright then, I will see you later, I have some business to attend later."

Mr. Pandrick left to pick up some groceries.

Pandrick got the stuff and returned to his house, he lived at the top floor and had rented the bottom one. They were not apartments, but single rooms. He supposed it would be enough to fit two people, especially when they as really close friends.

"The girls I told you about, they have moved in," he said to his wife.

Sally was a thin woman, her left side of the face sprinkled with freckles.

"They do seem like they would not cheat you right?" she said.

"Don't be so skeptical Sall, not every other tenant is a fraud."

"I guess so."

A few days passed and it had been a week since Ms. Swanson and Ms. Maxwell had moved in.

Pandrick got out to his balcony to enjoy the morning breeze, the sun was gleaming. He adjusted his spectacles.

He looked down and saw the girls putting some glasses and plates in a sack.

"Good morning Mr. Pandrick," the Maxwell girl said, she had put on a pink frock and looked like she had just washed her hair.

Pandrick waved "Morning Ms. Maxwell, what are you ladies doing with the sacks and plates."

"Oh these, they got really broken and damaged. We decided to dispose them and get new ones," the girl replied.

"Oh."

Pandrick went in.

After a few hours, Pandrick went to the balcony again while answering a phone call.

He again saw Ms. Maxwell, the girl was taking a bag somewhere. It was completely filled with blankets, so much so that the zipper could not be closed.

"Ms. Maxwell," he called, ending the phone call.

"Oh hey Mr. Pandrick, I was just taking these blankets my sister's house, she lives nearby, these need to be washed. I will see you later."

She made haste and disappeared out of sight.

Pandrick went in and narrated the incident to his wife.

"Why would she rent a room when her sister's house is nearby?" he asked to his wife.

"Her sister must be married, and honestly Alan, who would live at a sister's place and why would they keep her?" Sally replied.

"You are right, but these girls are starting to seem a little suspicious to me."

"Don’t be so skeptical, not every other tenant is a fraud."

It went on for weeks, every day or the other, they would take some things away and make one excuse or the other.

They took away two beds and a cupboard, and told him they wanted to sell it.

They took away their clothes and told him they were giving it away.

Finally it was the day of collecting the rent, Pandrick dashed past every other room and knocked on the door of the ladies.

There was no response, Pandrick's heart started beating a little faster.

He knocked again, again no response.

He tried to call their numbers, but of course, they would not be answered.

He tried to push the door open, to his surprise the door swung and hit the wall hard.

The room was empty, and a piece of paper was on the floor.

Pandrick calmed down for a moment, he took a breath and took the paper.

Dear Mr. Pandrick,

Thanks for having us, we appreciate your kind behavior, but as it happened, we were actually in the wrong country. We did not want to bother you with so much, so when we were moving our stuff, we may have told a few lies. Good bye.

Pandrick laughed, he could not help himself.

"Call the cops," his wife said, when he narrated the incident to her.

"They have left the country already, why the hassle, the money is gone."

"Did they not fill the rental form and everything?" his wife asked.

"They did, they had the proof of their income, references, and everything." Pandrick told her.

"Are they mad? They had real jobs, they could have paid rent, why would they leave everything and go to a new country. I do not get this. Why did you not say anything when they told they were leaving the country?"

"They told me they were going to a friend's house for a night, I did not realize that they had not been back."

"They really are mad."

"Some people are Sally, some people are."