Room
Mary needs money for a room. She rents a small room at the Palace Hotel in the Hill District, under the table through Joseph, a custodian that she met at the Baptist church. This has to be discreet. I can't see the place or meet Joseph. She just needs $55 a week or she'll be out under the bridge, where she got raped.
She does agree to have Joseph call me. So Joseph calls me. Mary needs $55 a week for her room at the Palace Hotel in the Hill District, which he rents to her under the table. They met at the Baptist church.
I leave work early on a Friday, and run into Mary outside on my way to the garage. This is a pleasant surprise. We agree to meet in the alley after I run a few errands, and then I'll take her to her place so she can pay her rent.
Now I'm sitting in my 2007 Toyota Sienna, parked behind Joseph's 1989 Buick Century, tan except for the front right panel, which is matte black. He pulled up just as we did, returning from the bank. I watch him enter as Mary gets out of the car. I watch Mary follow him inside. The side windows are all dark. One or two are boarded up. The front windows are populated with neon beer signs, lit, but I don't believe the painted sign that says "Bar open Sundays." I don't think there is a bar anymore.
Inside, Joseph is fiddling with a padlock on an iron gate. Mary, with her eyes, reiterates that this has to be discreet, that I can't see the place or meet Joseph. Joseph doesn't look up to ask me if he can help me, sir. No, I'm just a friend of Mary's. The place is dirty and empty, and there is no bar. I leave.
Mary forgives me. "That's ok, you were curious, it's understandable. You know what they say about curiosity."
"Um, that it killed the cat?"
She smiles.
"Mary, would it be fair to use the word 'flop-house' to describe the Palace Hotel?"
"No, there's none of that there. It's a pretty clean place. After all, the police station is only a block up. I like it there. That's why I try to be a model tenant."
I learn later that you have to have a permanent address to get on welfare.
