From 401 to 205

Since I arrived here in dxb, it has always been flat 401 in a building near the bank in al rigga road. I have seen people come and go, met new faces, establish a relationship with the watchman, fixed a few pipes in our kitchen, threw some old stuff and bought new ones. It has been like this for four straight years up until we had to give up the flat that my cousins are sharing with.

Its actually a long story… it started out when we’re bringing in friends to visit every weekend, having drinks and occasional sleepovers and Friday cookouts. It was then the watchman has been observing us for over a year and has reported our actions to the landlord. They have given us a warning as what I was told and since then, we were limited to our actions. But then few months later, we’re back to our old selves again and back to the weekend fun (c’mon, we all work hard, don’t we deserve a bit of fun during the weekend?!)

We thought that it was all ok coz the watchman has been good to us ever since, little did we know that he was stabbing us in the back - smiling at us every now and again when we see him on the ground floor and at the same time, reporting us to the landlord again and again and again…
Christmas came and New Year’s too, we have not heard from our spinster cousin that the contract has not been renewed. All the while we thought that things are fine since if you have not heard from your agent, it means that they will automatically renew your contact and you just need to issue checks for payment. But that has not been the story otherwise. Come 4th Jan, we had a meeting about the flat with my cousins. Its no good news from the landlord, as they don’t allow men and women to be together in one flat unless you’re family. So, spinster needs to kick out the boys in the flat as the agreement with the agent was he will renew the contract if and only women are staying in the flat. And the boys needs to be out by Friday. Our meeting was on a Sunday so it only means that they’ve got only 5 days to look for place to move to- not an easy thing to do here in dxb since rents are very expensive nowadays.

So for 3 straight days, we’ve exhausted ourselves looking for a place to stay, made some calls to friends and colleagues, to check if they know any available room for rent. Luckily, we found a place we liked and it just fits! With built-in closets, bigger space, centralized air condition, bathroom with shower and tub, what more can we ask for? Found it on Tuesday, checked it on Wednesday night, paid advance and moved some stuff on Thursday night. By Friday, we’re out of 401, done and dusted! What a relief! It was not easy moving out specially if you have a lot of stuff to bring but good thing we’ve got friends to help us out. Come Friday, it was our first night in our own “turf” or shall I say, our room but still so messy though with clothes lying around the floor, boxes with various stuff and more stuff. Saturday we’re still sorting out stuff, buying this and that for our use but after our first week, the room has become an immaculate setting with warm lights, tea table, player and a television. We’ve somehow settled in already. Nice and warm family that we’re living with. Now I can say that we have found a new home and with no watchman to worry about…. And its in 205! Its not a notch higher but way better!

So it’s a start of the New Year, with a new life, a new home with new beginnings… here comes the year of the Ox…welcome 2009!