Renters

If you have been around me much in the last three months, you've probably heard me mention our picture perfect renters. Seriously, I don't think we could have found better people to rent our house. They are the kind of people you meet and it takes a while to realize their incredible kindness and friendliness is genuine. For a while, I thought it was too good to be true. But no, it was true. When I met with them to sign the contract, we stayed and visited for an hour and they gave Clara cookies. Every month, they would call me to see if I wanted to pick up the rent check or if they should mail it. If they mailed it, there was always a sweet note accompanying it. They put in a security door, sun screens and a soft water system, all at their own expense.


On Monday, January 31st, I was expecting my phone call. Unfortunately, I got a phone call from the wife's daughter instead. She was calling to let me know Bob had passed away the day before and her mother was stressed about not getting the rent to us on time. Who worries about something like that the day after her husband passes away? Poor lady. I assured her whenever they were able to get things sorted out, that was soon enough.


I hung up the phone and cried. He was such a good man. When I was checking their references, I called his former neighbor of 16 years and didn't bother to call anyone else on the list. The neighbor said Bob was the best neighbor anyone could ask for and was always doing things for him (mowing his grass, handyman repairs, etc.), they took care of their house and were very kind people.

He was incredibly sweet to his wife. She is legally blind and not long ago, he took her all over the Country to see things she's always wanted to see before her eyesight gets worse. He was only in his early 60's and seemed in fairly good health, certainly not this close to death. It was unexpected and I wish there was some way I could console his sweet wife. I have thought about her often in the last few days. I wonder how she's doing, what she's feeling and how people function after something like this happens to them. I wonder if it took her a while to realize there was a problem since she doesn't see well, what went through her mind when she realized something was wrong and if that nightmare haunts her continually. I want to go to her house and give her a big hug. I know it will do little to comfort her, but perhaps it will comfort me and help me not think about this all day long.

See, I can't stay vague for long.