This weekend this guy rings the doorbell. He is from Estonia and will be working here this summer selling “educational children’s books”. He named the company (Southwestern Company, I think) and the way they work is they take college students and send them off to the middle of nowhere to sell these books door-to-door six days a week. They work constantly and have no time for anything else (which is why they always send them away from home: no distractions).
Apparently now they are using Estonians (northern Europe). It sounds like indentured servitude. The guy seemed sharp, nice, and honest. He wasn’t selling books, just looking to see if I knew anyone with a room available to rent for the summer. I told him I had a room. He said two other guys would be living in the same room and they could give me $400 a month. I said maybe.
Anyway, later in the day he brings the other two guys around (equally honest looking). I said it would be at least $600 for the three of them (really I didn’t want any roommates, let alone 3) which they said was too much. I told them to call me back today and I’d tell them if I was interested. When they called I said I wasn’t interested even for $600 but they seemed pretty desperate and said they’d like to stay even if it was just for a week or a month. They said they won’t be around much, will be very quiet, and aren’t interested in parties or even TV. They just need a place to shower and sleep. I said I usually stay up late watching TV and they will be going to bed early to get up early. He said they are very good sleepers and wouldn’t mind the TV.
I felt bad for them so I agreed to let them stay. I figure for 3 months how bad can it be? Susan says I’m crazy to let someone off the street stay in my house but they seemed pretty legitimate.
Now I have to get that room ready and maybe clear out some space in my junk room for the third one. I can’t imagine all three actually living in the same room.