For nearly eight years, I rented out a flat to a young couple, both newcomers to the city. The man worked as a mechanic, while the woman was a shop assistant. The rent covered the bills for both my own flat and the one I let out, with a little left over for petrol. Over the years, we had a decent landlord-tenant relationship, and Id never had cause for complaint. Then, last year, the girlher name was Elsierang me in tears. Shed found a lump in her breast, struggled to see a doctor, waited ages for tests, and now the news was grim: cancer, stage three. Worse still, her fiancé, upon hearing the diagnosis, had walked out on her. She had friends, but none close enoughor well-off enoughto help. With rent due and no way to pay ithed been the main earnershed have to leave. She begged for a fortnight to pack up and return to her village, where at least there was a clinic.
But I knew the city hospital was her best chance. The village wouldnt save her. So I told her to stay, rent-free, for as long as she needed. If she could manage the utilities, fine; if not, Id manage without. She wept with gratitude. Later, her mother came from the countryside to care for her after the surgery, which went well. She endured the chemo, too, and in time, the cancer retreated.
While they stayed, they paid what they could toward the billsnever the full amount, but something. “We cant take it for nothing,” theyd say. What stung most, though, were the comments from those who knew: colleagues, even friends, even my own mother called me a fool for losing money when I couldve found new tenants. Had people really grown so heartless? As for that coward of a manhe never came back. Instead, he spat venom, saying shed be hideous with just one breast. Elsie was lovely, and hearing that? Unforgivable.
But she pulled through. These days, shes well, under regular check-ups, and the future looks bright. She kept working, kept renting from me, and thenshe met someone. This summer, shes marrying him. Im over the moon for her. Weve grown close through it all, and Im honoured to be a guest at the wedding. Come autumn, theyll move into their own place with a mortgage.
True, those months without the full rent were tight, but I didnt starve. And helping someone keep their life and health? Worth every penny.
