It Only Takes One

I was exceedingly optimistic about finding a renter in Chapel Hill. But miraculously it worked.

Last week while talking to Kyle and Peter, I admitted that my marketing plan was to post an ad to Craigslist and have my mom’s Sunday School class pray that I find a renter. I woke up with dread on Sunday morning, when I realized that I did not emphasize this prayer request to my mother the night before. I am sure that I had mentioned it to her. In the past, she told me that she had her Sunday School class pray about my job possibilities, which always panned out. So this seemed like a very good strategy to me.

Well, she admitted to me at our Mother’s Day lunch celebration that she had not made any special requests that day. But that did not stop me. I drove with gusto to Chapel Hill and went to Caffe Driade to post my ad to Craigslist, only to return to scrubbing. Before I finished my latte, I emailed our dear friend Joel and gave him a very good deal on the apartment.

As I was cleaning, I received a call from a local attorney who had just moved from Asheville. She recently discovered model in the 1906 farm house after four separate sinus infections in three months. They needed out very quickly. So that single call gave me the optimism that I needed to keep scrubbing. However, when they arrived and started pacing out the living room, I realized that their stuff would never fit. Plus they did not seem to be in love with the place like we were. But Joel had included that in his email. The magic words to any newbie landlord: I love y’all’s place.

So when Joel called as planned around 6:30, I told him yes. I had not heard from the couple yet, but I knew in my gut. I told Mom and Alex that I was meeting them for dinner and left Chapel Hill. While eating, Mom admitted that I had probably prayed out the apartment more than anyone else. She was just too busy to think about it. No worries. Everything worked out quite smoothly.

Last night we signed the lease and celebrated over dinner at Acme. Henry called on his calling card and kept saying, “I am just so tickled.” Then he told me that I should treat Joel to dinner, which was delicious.

I felt a little guilty like Joel had bailed me out. But he told me that he was supposed to be out of his place on May 15th. So I had actually saved him the hassle of looking for a place, which he really hates to do. Now he can easily run in the park, as he did on several afternoons with Henry a couple of years ago. (Has it been that long?)

And that is how I rented our apartment in two days with no real plan.