Part IV

    It was June of '97.  The heat rose off the pavement in waves bringing the tar to the surface in its wake.  Cars drove by protected by their A/C but not many ventured outdoors.  Jarvis walked down NW 17th St by himself, a suitcase in one hand and the end of a footlong in the other.  He stopped at the front of the building under the bridge and looked a moment.  Tossing his food in the trash he pulled out a sliver of newspaper and read a circled classified address.  "3407 NW 17th St"  It was a rental ad with no specific description.  Looking back down the street in the direction he came, he went inside.
    The hallway was musty, with graffiti all over the walls.  It wasn't much cooler inside save the shade doing its part.  Flies buzzed around in annoyance and he swatted a few of them before finding the landlord's door.  The man that opened the door was short, overweight, and just looked tired.  He might have been able to see into next week with the glasses he wore.  He looked at Jarvis with a glaring suspicion before speaking.
    "Whatchoo want boy?" he asked giving his visitor a look down.  Jarvis held out the newspaper ad and the man took it.  "I ain't got nothin on the first two floors and since they put the bridge over tha buildin, you ain't gonna want nothin above 'em.  Mostly welfare types and drug dealers.  Pigs just cleaned out a whole mess of 'em and left me to clean up their s**t."
    "Do you have anything livable?"  Jarivs asked.
    "Come with me."  the man led Jarvis up to the third floor and showed him a space.  "This one's the best I got left.  Don't say much though.  The kitchen and the bathroom work well enough.  Utilities come with the rent."  He sighed.  "Security deposit is last month's rent plus ten percent.  You can get in here for $550.  Whadya say boy?"
    Jarvis looked around the room.  It was decent but he hadn't even started work yet.  he felt the cash in his pocket and knew that it wouldn't last.  "Do you have anything cheaper?"
    "Whatchoo lookin for boy?"  The man looked intently at Jarvis trying to judge him.  
    "I just need something that's cheaper sir.  Trying to get back on my feet, that's all."
    "I'll show you the cheapest I got and we'll go from there. "  The man led the way up to the fourth floor to the end of the hall.  "Pigs ain't been back here for a couple weeks now so I guess this can come down," he said as he tore the yellow tape from the doorway.  The door creaked open and he let Jarvis in first.
    The place was a disaster.  It had been a drug lab.  Obviously destroyed by the police when they came in, there was nothing that wasn't left unbroken.  The fridge hung open on one hinge and the sink sat on the floor.  The water appeared to have been cut off before too much damage had been done, a little consolation.  The bathroom might be usable but Jarvis didn't spend too much time in there.  The stench hung somewhere between a bad experience from Mexican food and death.  There was no furniture, only broken tables lying on the floor.  The second room was filled with broken equipment, containers, tubing, and burners.  It was the size of the room that grabbed Jarvis' attention.  It was about twice the size of the first and had a fire escape landing on the far side.  It was out of the way, and he shouldn't cause too much concern over those that lived on the first two floors.  It just needed work and a lot of it.  The bridge didn't obstruct the sky from the balcony too much although he wouldn't know for sure until he could see the stars.  
    "How much for this?"  The man looked at him dumbfounded.
    "You serious boy?  I ain't looking for no more shitheads.  I got six other spaces just like this I gotta get cleaned out.  I ain't got time for those damn pigs anymore."
    "Like I said sir, just trying to get back on my feet."  The man looked Jarvis over again before responding.
    "Well, you don't look like trouble and other than trying to get a shithole like this, it looks like you gotta good head on your shoulder.  I'll tell you what, I'll take a $100 security deposit now on a six month lease.  Get this place up by then and we'll talk again.  First complaint I get from anyone, even the pigs, and you're outta here quicker than greased s**t.  Got it?"
    "Understood."
    "Meet me back downstairs and we'll even up.  Name's Ed Reilly."
    "Jarvis Bert-"
    "Right.  See you downstairs."