My Basement Apartment

I moved into an apartment across from a Waffle House and next to a gun shop. Crime was a problem. My neighbor appeared to be on crack. I could hear her slurring her words, and her eyes were wide and eerie. Living next to a gun shop was a constant reminder that I might be a victim, so I moved into a more upscale complex with a pool. I felt I was living a life of luxury. My sunny apartment overlooked a lake. I still only had one bedroom. I just didn’t want to pay for two.

As the years went by, my nice apartment complex went downhill. My neighbors had mostly been retired people, but suddenly management was willing to rent to anybody. I cringed at the litter neighbors left in the parking lot and so many cars leaked oil everywhere. Still, I stayed.

And I never missed homeownership. When my husband was alive, we owned five houses. Dealing with the endless leaky faucets and freezing pipes and keeping the lawn mowed … I viewed homeownership as a burden. It was never a symbol of success or an American dream the way it is for some people. Even now, I see young adults scraping and scheming to pry into giant houses and giant mortgages. I just shake my head.

Finally, I got a notice that my apartment complex would be turned into condos. My youngest daughter found my basement apartment through a friend. I live in Georgia, not New York City, so it’s not like you see people’s shoes walking by your window. The house is on a woodsy lot down a dead-end street. I have an outside entrance.

My landlords are a nice young couple. I sometimes care for their dogs when they are out of town. My basement apartment is cool in the summer and heats up quickly in the winter.

A common downside to apartment living is washing clothes. Usually it’s a coin operated laundry room and you need to have plenty of quarters on hand. So imagine my joy when I found out my basement apartment has a washer and dryer. I would say the only downside is not having a dishwasher, which is fine when I cook for myself but an ordeal when I have company. Another problem is that when guests come they have to sleep on the couch. No one seems to mind though.

Across the street, some gigantic new houses have sprung up.