صاحب‌خانه‌ی توانا

The Resourceful Landlord

A kind landlord was afraid that he would lose his apartment building. He needed to make some mandatory repairs to the old building, or his tenants would have to leave by the end of the month.

Without tenants to lease the rooms, the landlord would be unable to pay his mortgage. He’d be bankrupt, and the bank would take his building.

He got quotes for the repairs, but he didn’t have the money whereby he could employ the personnel needed to make them. It would seem like he did not want to conform to the city’s codes before the forthcoming inspection. He had requested an extension, but it was denied by the city.

He held a meeting with his tenants and explained the unfortunate situation. “If the building does not meet the appropriate standards for safety and hygiene,” he said, “the city will expel everyone.”

The tenants were all sad for the kind old man.

“Maybe we can help,” said the hairdresser who lived on the first floor stated. The other tenants agreed.

One tenant had worked for the city’s utilities. He knew a lot about plumbing, so that’s how he helped. Another tenant was a carpenter; he mended the holes in the floor and walls. Others cleaned the building from top to bottom so that it was more hygienic.

They even furnished some of the apartments with new beds, dressers, and chairs. When they were done, all of the people went to their apartment, and the landlord went home to rest.

When the deadline of the inspection arrived, the apartment building was hygienic and safe. The landlord couldn’t believe it. His old building now looked like one of the nicest buildings in town.

The building passed its inspection, and the landlord and the tenants had a big party.

“Thank you all so much,” the landlord said during the party. “I could never have done it by myself. But by working together, we now all have a beautiful place to live.”