I was in Maida Vale, a fancy part of London I shouldn't have been able to afford.

The room was 500 pounds a month. A great deal for the area. As I rang the doorbell to the basement unit, a nasty-looking cat was walking toward me. The kind of cat that got neglected badly.

The flat owner ushered me in and immediately I got hit with a moldy smell. In his very Eastern European accent he said: "This very nice neighborhood. Roommates also very nice. They both have work." 🚩

My 21-year old ass didn't make much of this, of course, still excited about the prospect of living a bare 5 minutes from the canal. On foot.
Hell, I was seeing myself living there already. Morning Coffee in Regent's Park. Hanging out around Baker Street and Marylebone. Fuck yeah!

Well, the bathroom was a total mess. As was the kitchen. And my potential roommates were sporting a plumer's crack. Beer in hand and all. At 11 in the morning too.

The room itself was lovely though.
Very cosy. In fact, it was so cosy, Harry Potter would have felt right at home.

(Photo by Ashley Whitlatch on Unsplash)