Un-Homed But Not Unhinged: Holy Moly! I鈥檓 Re-homed!!!

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It鈥檚 true, it just happened this weekend. I鈥檓 kind of in shock since I had actually given up on looking any more. But suddenly there was a sign by the Laundromat and on a whim I went in to check it out. And here I am with a stable place to live after a year un-homed!

I had been trying various avenues to explore how property managers and landlords would deal with someone whose life is in transition. Different ones asked different questions, and so I probed with varying answers. Answering the one about rental history was particularly strange. I wondered how candid I should be, as it seemed pretty certain that a statement of 鈥淚鈥檓 homeless鈥 would be a red flag.

Anyone who has applied for apartments and rentals knows the rigmarole involved, so suffice it to say that I wasn鈥檛 optimistic over the last several weeks of experiments. In fact I had resigned myself to waiting for at least another few months while trying to lay down more foundations for a move forward. But as my whole blog has been about, some things in life don鈥檛 follow simple plans.

Like I said, I was there at the Laundromat and there was this sign. When I called I had no expectations, just curiosity. So when I did see the place I was surprised that it was clean and didn鈥檛 feel transitional. It felt like a place one could settle into. I could tell the owners kind of liked me by the questions they were asking; as if they were judging me rather than my paperwork.

They suggested I take an application and fill it out. Instinct simply said, 鈥淕o for it.鈥 I also wrote them a note explaining a large part of my circumstances and the general shifts that have been happening in my life. I know at least one of my references had been contacted, though I don鈥檛 know who else. When they left a message the next morning to call them I was sure they were going to ask for more financial information, which I was certain would doom me. To my surprise they called to offer me the apartment. And I took it!

There鈥檚 more to tell for sure, but the difference was this: on other searches I felt very nervous and could tell it was out of fear, but on this one the nervousness was coming from excitement. To me that is the best indicator that I鈥檓 up for the challenge. Otherwise I don鈥檛 think I would be allowing the instincts to take over so much.

Needless to say, it was strange to sleep there in an empty apartment, but then again I cooked breakfast for the first time in about a year. I may only have one bowl, two spoons, two forks and a knife, but now I have a drawer to put them in. Holy moly!!

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About the Author

  • Joe Bright
    Joe Bright
    Joe Bright is a graduate of Iolani School and went on to study art at The Cooper Union School of Art in New York City, and later Chinese medicine at The American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine in San Francisco. Joe currently runs a small acupuncture clinic, Kama鈥檃ina Acupuncture in Kapahulu as the first dedicated low-cost 鈥渃ommunity acupuncture鈥 clinic in Honolulu. Joe has a varied background that has included working as a bicycle mechanic, freelance artist, teaching calligraphy and Tai Chi, a nanny, and even a CEO of a small entrepreneurial company. He continues to create art, even having work recently appear at the Honolulu Academy of Arts as well the Bishop Museum. He also continues with entrepreneurial projects when possible and serves on the Board of Directors for a local Buddhist meditation organization, Vipassana Hawai鈥檌.
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