Renting

Rent went up again. The agent says it is the market price; nobody knows who set the market. The landlord comes to inspect the flat, checks the walls for nail holes, and on the way out deducts half the deposit. Your roommate plays short videos at full volume at 2 a.m.; you knock, they say one minute, and keep going. On moving day the elevator broke, and carrying boxes up seven floors makes you understand why some people choose a one-hour commute. A rented place cannot have nails in the wall, cannot have a cat, cannot have loud laughter, yet it eats a third of your salary every month. People say renting is temporary. It has been temporary for five years. Write down what you cannot say out loud: I do not need much, just a place where I can sleep without worry. The deposit comes back months later, sometimes never, and the agent stops replying to messages.