Valley of Dry Bones, Part Four

12 December 2004

Roger was awakened by banging on his door. Charles Osgood was on the television, introducing some segment or another. Roger grabbed the remote and turned the volume down, then called out to know what was going on as he made his way to the door. When he opened it, he found his landlord, who looked grim.

"I need to check your plumbing," Mr. Helms, the landlord, explained. Roger stepped aside and watched him enter, before closing the door and following him to the restroom. When he got to the door, he found Mr. Helms scowling and reaching for the running faucet on the bath tub. The tub had overflowed, and the floor was soaked.

"What...," Roger began, leaning on the door frame.

"Roger! Do you have any idea how much damage you've done! I got called by the tenant below you because the water is in their unit! Why the hell did you leave it running?!"

"I didn't...I didn't even turn it on last night."

"Well it sure as hell didn't turn itself on! I'm gonna have to charge you for this, you know! I've had enough complaints about your forgetfulness that I'm tempted to break your lease!"

"Joey, I promise-"

​"Don't 'Joey' me, Roger! One more fuck up like this and I have to get you out, you understand? I can't have this on my hands!" He stormed past Roger, then stopped as he opened the door out of the apartment. "Look, I know you won't be able to clean this up. I'll have one of the guys come around in a bit. But I'm serious, Roger, you need to get your act together if you want to keep living here." He closed the door behind him as he left, and Roger was left with a flooded bathroom and the dim voice of the television.

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