"Well, let's see. We have $200 from that gig last week." He was in a
band
called the Monkees with our three roommates Peter, Mike, and Davy.
"Which was spent on food and other stuff we needed."
"Where's the $100 you made at the resturant?"
"Same place."
"So we have to come up with 200 dollars by tomorrow, right?"
"Right"
"Well, I'll get the guys and we'll have a meeting." All three guys were
on
the beach, so Micky yelled for them out the back door. We all sat around the
kitchen table. "Guys, Babbitt just came to rag us about the rent being due
tomorrow. He thinks we don't have it."
"Do we?" asked Peter.
"No," Micky answered.
"We have $200 from that gig last week," Davy said.
"Which was spent on food and other stuff we needed," Micky replied.
"Where's the $100 you made at the resturant?" Mike asked me.
"Same place," I answered.
"So we need to make money, right?" Mike asked.
"Right" everyone answered.
"Let's see if they have any gigs available for tonight," Mike suggested.
He
got the newspaper and checked the want ads. "Nope."
Just then there was a knock on the door. Davy got up, went to the door
and
checked the peephole he couldn't reach. "It's Mr. Babbitt!" He opened the
door.
"Hello, Mr. Babbitt. Did you forget something?" Micky asked most
courteously.
"Yeah, yeah, Dolenz. Whatever." He handed Mike an envelope. "The
mailman
accidently delivered this to my house. It's for you."
Mike opened the envelope. "Oh, it's from my Aunt Kate. It looks like
she
sent me a check." He looked at it. His face broke into a huge smile. "Why,
this is a fortune!"
"It is?" Everyone, including Mr. Babbitt, asked.
"Uhm, Mr. Babbitt, I don't mean to be rude, but me and the guys have to
have
a meeting right now, and, you know. . ."
Mr. Babbitt grinned. "Sure, sure. Say no more." He walked out of the
pad.
"How much is it, Mike?" Davy asked.
"Two hundred whole dollars! It says here in the letter that it's for my
birthday in two weeks. Boy, I'm sure glad she found that oil on her ranch!"
"But, Mike, I thought you found the oil?" Peter said.
"Boy, I'm sure glad I found that oil on her ranch!" Mike said. Then he
put
the check on the table. "Now we can pay the rent tomorrow."
"Are you sure, Mike? It's your money. We can figure something else
out."
Micky said.
"There's not much chance of that," Mike replied. "Besides, I wouldn't
have
it any other way. I insist."
Later that afternoon, we were all watching television when Mr. Babbitt
came
over with a lot of handyman supplies. "What are you doing?" Mike asked.
"Why, just doing my job. Don't worry. I'll fix the roof leak, then the
toilet."
"Okay, who are you and what have you done with Mr. Babbitt?" Micky
asked.
"What are you talking about? You know how fond your landlord is of you
boys
and how good care he takes of you."
"What is going on?" asked Mike. "Why are you suddenly so concerned about
our
welfare?"
"Why, I resent that! I've always done right by you boys."
"Yeah, and I'm Mrs. America," Micky responded.
Mr. Babbitt started working. "By the way" he said, "I understand you
have had
good news today. Some sort of goldmine--I mean present--from your aunt. By
the way, how much was it? Just curious."
"Two hundred dollars," Mike said.
"You call that a fortune?" Mr. Babbitt asked incrediously.
"When you're a dirt poor Texas boy, yes."
"Oh, I just remembered," Mr. Babbitt said. "I have an emergency at the
apartment complex I own. I have to go right away!"
"Aha," Mike said. "Now things are beginning to make a lot more sense!"
"You thought you'd get some of that by actually doing your job, huh?"
Micky
added.
"Well, you'll have your rent and that's all you have to worry about,"
Davy
added.
"Oh, I'm insulted that you would think me so vile," Mr. Babbitt replied
and
stormed off unsurprisingly leaving the needed repairs undone.
"Well, that was fun," Micky said.
"Yeah," Mike added. "Can't wait to see how we pay next month."
by M. G.