The whole neighborhood seemed to wake up early; with cars, vans, work trucks and even scooters revving up and peeling out of driveways before 7 a.m. Macaroon went to the window and started barking. Despite wanting to pull the blanket up over my head, the air mattress wasn’t all that comfortable, so decided that I might as well get up and deal with whatever quicksand, alligator swamp or piranha pool lay ahead. I plugged the phone in which had mercifully died during the night so I never heard the notifications of all the calls and texts.

I dressed (same old hoodie and sweats) and sneaked down the stairs to bring Macaroon out for a quick pee. The early morning autumn air was chilly, a whisper of the coming winter. The dog did her business quickly, right in the front yard – anxious to get back inside. I tucked her safely back into our room, and it was my turn to use the bathroom. As I should have expected, the bathroom across from my room was occupied and I could hear Bad Bunny blasting from a speaker over the sounds of the shower and the toilet.

In my haste to rent the room I had forgotten to ask about another bathroom in the house. I sneaked back down the stairs in search of one. A blender could be heard running in the kitchen. I peered warily around the corner and saw a young woman with ear buds, singing and making smoothies, dressed in scrubs, an i.d. badge swinging from a lanyard around her neck. Suddenly, sensing me behind her, she swung around fast, long braids flying, with a look of fear on her face. “Holy Mary Mother of God who the hell are you?!?” she demanded. “Oh shit, sorry to scare you…..” I stammered. “I am the new roommate here – I moved in yesterday.” “Oh,” she said, catching her breath, “Skyler told me about you…..I’m so sorry your husband kicked you out,” she said sincerely and stuck her hand out. “I’m Margaret – Skyler’s girlfriend.” I told her my name and that it was very nice to meet her, but that I really needed to pee and was there a second bathroom. She laughed. “Well, it’s sort of a bathroom -basically just a toilet and you have to wash your hands out here,” she said pointing at a small door across from the kitchen. Indeed, it was a tiny room with just a toilet, and my knees practically bumped up against the wall when I sat down. Back out in the kitchen to wash my hands Margaret said “Well, gotta run – I’m late for work. See you tonight?” I shook my head head yes and she ran out the door to one of the four parked cars in the narrow driveway.

Back in the room, my phone had charged enough to be back on…..There were texts from my husband…Barbie… Sandy..two sons…daughter and son’s girlfriend. And a very angry voicemail from work – the boss, McDonough. They all wanted to know where I was, and what was going on. My husband said Barbie wouldn’t tell her anything except that I was okay….which gave everyone permission to be more pissed off than worried.

Sitting down on the air mattress with Macaroon in my lap I started a group chat: Gary, Christopher, Michael, Ashley – and oh yes, Christopher’s girlfriend Alexis. I figured I didn’t have to put the grandkids (Emma and Ethan) in the chat – their dad Christopher would tell them where I was. And if he didn’t, certainly his big mouth girlfriend Alexis would.

“Dear All,” I started – with no idea what to say next. So I just said: “I am safe. Macaroon is safe too. I rented a room in Everett. Need some time to think. PS Please water my plants. And we have been out of trash bags since last week and I am sick of being the only one to buy them.”

The next thing on the agenda was to quit my job. The incoming money from my mother made me feel giddily free – even knowing that it would run out quick and a job would need to be found soon. I called the main line to the office expecting to get voice mail, but Sandy picked up. “McDonough’s Insurance – Skimpy Premiums, Full Coverage- How can I help you?” she sneered into the phone. “It’s me, Linda, what the hell are you doing answering the phone at this hour?”

“Linda – you bitch – where the hell are you?”

“I’m in Everett….”

“What the fuck are you doing in fucking Everett? Get the fuck back here, I’m going crazy!! The old man wants us to start answering the phone at 8 a.m. The early bird gets the customers and blah, blah, blah – I am heading for a stroke!”

“Sandy, I am taking some time for myself….I gotta qui -” before I got the word out, she was shrieking into the phone…

“You and your stupid, selfish three quarters life fucking crisis – get the fuck up here where you belong and get back to work!

“Sandy, I’m not coming back – not now….I don’t know when…”

“Well, you better have some other income for your sorry ass – because I’m posting your job the minute I hang up!” she said slamming the phone down.

and that was it…. no more job and no.more … HEALTH INSURANCE!!!! SHIT!!! Well, I would just have to be super careful and not end up in the ER before I sorted it out.

I went back downstairs to the kitchen to get some yogurt with Macaroon close by on my heels. In the kitchen this time was the tall, curly haired boy that had first showed me the apartment yesterday. He had a giant bowl of Lucky Charms in front of him and was slurping coffee and a Red Bull. He had a large textbook open on the grimy kitchen table.

“Good Morning….roomie,” I said brightly.

He looked up startled and turned beet red. “What are you reading?” I asked just to break the ice. It sounded like he said: “Commushiny Ohrgganizin Theeny un Praccish” he said, mouth full of Lucky Charms.

“Sorry, what?”

He swallowed, “Oh, sorry – Community Organizing Theory and Practice- I go to UMass Boston – Poli Sci.”

“That’s really interesting I said,” though I had no idea what he meant – was he learning how to help people tidy up their neighborhoods or something? “I like to organize things – maybe I could help out somehow.”

At this he perked up and said “That’s great! I work for a union as an organizer – we are always looking for volunteers…..”

“Okay – sign me right up!” I said wondering what the heck this would involve.

“What’s your number – I will text you so you can have my contact in my phone. I”ll hit you up when we need volunteers.” I gave him my number, and his text popped up – Graham H “Hi it’s the organizing guy.”

“Thanks Graham…..looking forward to…..organizing,” I said, then remembered my job situation. “Hey Graham, any way that this …..organizing pays anything? I am kind of looking for a job.”

“Oh my God….dude…that’s sick – we totally need people at the restaurant where I work. Like I mean anybody with a pulse….sorry no offense.”

“Ahh, what positions are open?”

“Dude…you name it….dishwasher…host….server…line cook….”

“What’s the name of the restaurant, maybe I could send them my resume?”

At this Graham laughed heartily. “No resume, just come in. It’s Los Vaqueros…..Glendale Square – in the strip mall by Walgreens. I’ll be there from 4 to midnight today….come in whenever you want.”

“Thank you! I will come by,” I said, reminding myself that I had no restaurant experience whatsoever, and hoped they wouldn’t laugh at me.

I took my yogurt and banana and went upstairs wondering what I would wear to Los Vaqueros to make a good impression…..