Landlords.

A few weeks ago we discovered the house 30 feet from us was coming up for rent. It is huge and cheap and nicely located. There is a magnolia tree in the yard and a laundry room that smells like towels and lemonade. Well, we were excited, went to see the house a few times, made plans, worked it out. Near the end of the deal our other roomate Rachelle dropped by to see the house. The next day our phone call with the landlord went as following "Er....My financial partner and I aren't sure that it's good to have so many people live in the house...er...And you didn't tell me you would have colored girls moving in. The neighbors would run me out of town if I let you do that."

Oh Mississippi, I tried to defend you. I tried to tell people that you are not as bad as they think, that I quite enjoy living here, that other places are just as rascist under the surface. And look, you make a fool of me, and you make me sad.

I went to a lawyer for the first time this week to serve a letter to our current landlord telling him that the poop in the tub and yard simply would not do anymore. I am scared of our landlord, and do not want to ever have to look him in the eye as I think snakes will shoot out of his forehead or something. I want to hurry up and move out of here, but I'm am tired to death of looking for new places to live and having real estate agencies and landlord's screw with my mind.

Crystal and I found a perfect new place. We were/are ready to move in on moment's notice. We went to pains to convince the Real Estate company that we were responsible college students and not boys who would punch holes in the wall. Well, apparently the hole-punching boys would be better, because the agency thinks they should gouge the rent up $150 extra a month because one time some girls rented and they caused a plumming problem. ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS BECAUSE WE'RE FEMALE.

This is insanity. I don't understand why it's ok for people to treat you like a piece of shit because you need a place to live. They can judge you and lie to you and make up whatever rules they want, and it's ok because you'll have to go along with them to have a place to sleep. We have no leverage. There are no honest landlords.

You don't get all the money I make just because you own real estate. You don't get abuse me at all just because you are big and you think that I'm small. You don't get possession of me just because you've got something I need.