The thermostat is broken, a handyman is coming. I know what he’s going to say. “What a ruin!” He runs his hand along the wall, pieces fall to the floor. “Is this safe?” The student house where I live has not been renovated since 1975. “Isn’t your landlord doing anything about this?” No, he has been threatening to evict us for years if we criticize. A few minutes later, the handyman says: “Solution! Hopefully you don’t have to pay for this yourself.” I laugh at his comment and walk to the door. Unfortunately, you have to.
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A version of this article also appeared in the December 27, 2022 newspaper