to come the next day, but there was a last-minute cancellation. They offered to send someone else, an independent contractor

d it to find Mr. Henderson stan

. "What are y

with a smug look. "Looks like

rs were coming in two days and the apartment had to

ork and get out. Don't speak to m

sullen silence. I tried to ignore him, focusing on my packing. But then, as I was p

aid, his voice laced with e

Henderson, I believe I as

tuff. You're just going to pack it up and take it with you

ce him. He was staring at my things wit

for an agreed-upon price," I said, my voice dangerously calm. "T

mopping, but he did it with a new aggression, slamming the mop agains

in a special box. I went into the bedroom to get some bubble wrap. When I came back out, Mr. Henderson was holding the bo

ng it up to the light. "I bet you won't

into the large side po

strode over and snatched t

re doing?" I yelled, my voice ec

by my sudden movement. "I

g a shaking finger at him. "You were putti

are all the same! So stingy! You have a dozen bo

erly devoid of shame, that I felt

o steal from me? Are you listening to yourself? Do you

ation with people like him, people with a b

e retirement, you try to defraud me with a phony expense, and now you are actively s

sheer force of my anger. H

inued, advancing on him. "I ought to call the cleaning company and tell them t

, he threw his wet mop down. It clattered on th

you and your stupid

ely knocking over a stack of books I had carefully piled on a ta

tless bastard!" he s

slamming the door so h

o say died in my throat. The conflict was unresolved, hanging in the air like the smell of the dirty mop water