The Devil is an indifferent landlord

The Devil is an indifferent land

fiction
edward w pritchard

Everybody watches the Devil walks up when he visits the Property, but no-one wants the Devil  to see them looking. The Devil pauses for a moment, when he opens the gate; the gate  Uncle Tommy slammed and broke twenty years ago when the Devil had came by to tell him he would have to raise the Rent. The Devil himself never ages, he is quite good looking, dark black hair and a granite chin, always looking the proper man of business.

Eventually we all sit down. Posturing is over, we finally stop complaining about the condition of the apartment complex and the Devil gets down to the business at hand. There are a lot of new people in the area and they need a place to live. We have been tenants here a long time but the Devil explains he must raise the Rent on us, a lot, like fifty per cent, maybe more.

Everyone is furious. Some of the tenants try to bargain with the Devil. Of course some one will get real mad and  assume their Devil may care attitude. Slam the gate so to speak.

Business  is business. We have been here a long time. Things have changed. There are a lot of new people in the area. The children need some where to live. It's just how it is. Nothing stays the same everything changes.

Yes, it's about inflation too, the Devil says. He understands we are on a fixed income and we aren't as young as we used to be. He remembers when we first came here. We replaced some other tenants. Some of them were our own relatives. They got old and had to step aside so we could have a chance and a place to stay. Think of the beautiful children, you know the Devil is right.

The Devil  has a presence about him. We have known him a long, long time. We enjoyed it here. Now it's time to pay the Rent.

Where will we go if we can't stay here anymore? I bargain and plead with the Devil. Does he have any other places where I can go? Maybe somewhere down South, where it's warm. My old bones need a warm place to rest.

end