Playing fast and lose

“Son, it’s time you came home, I never felt so lonely even when your father was with us.” Mother with an element of gravity in her voice uttered. I knew it was difficult as it wasn’t the first time I was asked to do so.

“This is the third time you have come to let you have your advance. Please, make up your mind first what you want.” I requested my landlord most humbly and — Thank God — his heart melted, and he agreed to return the advance I’d given to him at the time of renting his flat.

The second day, I was at his door, and he came back the amount which I had thought of giving to my mother as she was financially challenged.

As I went to meet her, I found her sitting with one of my aunts who I’m sure of having given this idea of renting the house to someone else in the hope of having more rent, as it was evident that rent in those days of houses like mine was not affordable for me. So, she said that she didn’t know why she had asked me to back home. I then had nothing to do there, so got back and prayed that the landlord is convinced again to let us stay in his house.