You may remember from a couple of lessons back, my plan to study and live in a Spanish speaking couture for minimum of one year. I choose to move to Puerto Rico.
My friend had been extremely supportive of my plans to move to P.R. for the year to study and live a life submerged in the Spanish culture. She advised that she would hold down the fort here in NY while I tried out things in P.R. She convinced me, that a friend of hers that was moving to the States from abroad could room with her in my apartment, and pay my half of the rent. She surmised that this would save me even more money toward my move, and that if all did not work out in Puerto Rico, I could just come back to NY.
I was completely grateful for all my friend’s support and help. So as the move got closer, I worked on sorting out all the last minute details here. On the day of the move my friend came with me to the airport and saw me off, assuring me she would take care of all business here (including caring for my cat, and paying all bills).
After a couple weeks on the Island, and having set myself up in a nice apartment in the San Juan area, I received a rather disturbing call one afternoon from the landlord of my Manhattan apartment. She informed me that about two weeks prior she had received a call and a letter from my roommate informing her that I had vacated the apartment. My roommate went on to say that she is now the new tenant of the apartment, and demanded that my landlord, send her a new lease in her name.
I was completely shocked. My landlord went on to say that my friend had been trashing the apartment, and had had loud noisy parties on several occasions (something she had not done while we had been living together) since I left for Puerto Rico. My landlord advised if I could have my friend (and her roommate) removed from the premises before the end of the month, and if the damages to the apartment were not extensive, she would consider giving me back my deposit. However she warned the last day of that month my lease with them would effectively be terminated.
I did get my ex-friend out of my apartment, and cleaned and fixed any damages made by her and her friends in time to receive my deposit back. However I felt I lost so much more in the process. I lost a great apt. in Manhattan, and a person who I had thought of as a friend.
For a while I was very angry and very distrustful of anyone. Now though looking back, I realized that trust was not the issue, prudence was. In retrospect I now see many warning signs about my ex-friend, and her promise, to as she called it “Hold down the fort” that should have made me very suspicious, and look deeper at her motives. This was a hard lesson, but one that has made me a stronger person.
Picture created by Windtee
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