Ah, Nick. M. gave him the call this morning. Said our adios, landlord man.

He offered to cut our rent a hundred bucks or so. Hmmm. Could it be ‘cuz he’s going to have to lower the rates anyway to rent, as the cars and trucks parked illegally add a certain je ne c’est quoi to the carport, and the trash blowing in the street really brightens up the neighborhood? Not really a huge favor there, Nicky. Not to mention, what price is freedom from your control freakish ways?

When the money dangle left M. unmoved, he inquired as to our future locale. He claims it’s prone to flooding. Yeah, man, what with creeks, salt marshes and an ocean nearby, I can dig some water problems. But, I must’ve missed the telethon to save some multi-million dollar shacks lined up among some of the country’s richest real estate. Katrina/N.O. this ‘hood ain’t.

I did a little search engine action. Apparently, in the great flood of ’98 Palo Alto and Menlo Park floated away. Oh wait, no they didn’t, but their were some, egads, mud-littered garages and basements. And the lights went out for literally hundreds of people. Several people had to use candles.

Of course, he had to admit the downtown shopping area that’s been around awhile and where we’ll be living is a “nice place.”

He also pointed out that even in the best of towns cars like mine get broken into and crime happens.

Right, Nick. We’ll be hanging out in a downtown where regularly, in regular old metered spaces, on the street, logos for Porsche, Ferrari, Mercedes, BMW, Bentley, Lotus, Maserati and Maybach, intermingle with everyday Hondas and Lexuses and whatnot at the curb. We’ll have two, covered, private and tucked away parking spots, and in at least one of the adjoining spaces, we noticed a couple of bikes with wheel locks but chained to nothing.

I’m going out on a limb. No one’s going after the VW with other choices abounding. And, if the neighbor’s bicycles aren’t being rolled away, what’s the likelihood of a tougher, more vandalism fun-like thing like my roof stabbing happening.

Meanwhile, I’m mentally kissing the security deposit goodbye, but I’m gearing up for the battle. My prep involves reading through some shit from last year.