Conversation with Frau

[2:05pm--Hollywood, CA.--our heroine is napping on the sofa having woken up way too early, but having been productive despite getting caught in that Universal Studios fire traffic]

(knock, knock, knock)
Laurie Ann (rubbing eyes and opening door): Yes?
Frau: Is everything alright?
Laurie Ann: I was sleeping. What's up?
Frau: Where's the rent?
Laurie Ann: It's in the box.
Frau: I didn't see it.
Laurie Ann: I put in in there this morning...It IS the 1st, right?
Frau: Yes. How's the plumbing?
Laurie Ann: It's fine. Anything else?
[Frau doesn't answer]
Okay, then.

Our heroine goes back upstairs and cozies up to the sofa again.
(knock, knock, knock)
Laurie Ann (mumbling): oh, what now? (opens door) Yes?
Frau: Your rent is not in there.
Laurie Ann: I put it in there at 9:00 this morning. It's in there.
Frau (shuffling through several envelopes, agitatedly): It's not here! I have hers, his, Maria's...
Laurie Ann: It's in there. Open the box.
[Frau opens the box, our heroine reaches in and pulls out the envelope containing her rent and hands it to Frau Pissmeoff.]
Frau(sheepishly): Oh, it must have been stuck to the sides.
Laurie Ann: Yeah, not so much.

[heroine once again returns to her humble abode but now, thanks to Frau, is no longer sleepy. Or rather, still sleepy, but unable to go back to sleep.]

On the plus side, no mention of a rent increase or owing her for the water bill. Also, I was barefoot as I walked from my front stoop to the porch next door and it felt soooooo good to walk outside barefoot. I really miss being able to do that. Oh, sure I could still do it, I suppose, but this being LA and knowing that people pee or worse on these sidewalks everyday gives me the willies.