My ex called me last night to share the bad news: Despite seemingly getting somewhere with the corporate fixer brought into her complex after we eviscerated the property management company, she’s leaving at the end of the month.

With nowhere to go.

The issues she faced meant 10 days not being able to work this month, costing her a promotion planned for months and instead resulting in a demotion. So, her request was half off this month’s rent for her troubles. She doesn’t have the funds for a full month, as she lost half her pay and still supports her adult kids.

The compromise the fixer offered was “no late fees, and we’ll waive the junk fees.”

So, some $200 instead of the $700 she was requesting. She’s currently packing up.

“Babe, you did realize this was a plausible outcome, right? You did just fuck with the owners’ investment.”

Meanwhile, back in Austin, I’m finally not on edge after three full days at full adrenaline. I’d not say I’m relaxed, but I’m not on constant alert.

This said, I filed a police report, and the guy who stole my phone stupidly transferred my CashApp balance to someone, meaning I have her name. My friend in Temple kept the voicemail of the fake call he placed to convince me all was well before biking off with my phone, so we have audio and an accomplice.

However, this means my parking spot of two and a half years is no longer safe. He has a gun, and if that transfer is reversed, um, well, I don’t want to be here for that.

But I have nowhere to go. I have a Monday appointment with an oral surgeon and need to stick around for that. Plus, losing the brewery means losing indoor plumbing and wildly outsized portions of food.

The beer isn’t bad, either. I get a sixer from time to time.

Anyway, I headed over to 7-Eleven to grab some food a bit ago, and the guy who randomly brings me expired food happened to be working, gave me a few things off the roller grill and listened to my (abbreviated) story.

What you do not want to do in the homeless community is commit theft. I know it’s a trope that we’re all brawling in an encampment, but that’s not how it works in this part of town. We look out for each other and help as we can.

So the thief will, in short order, be known as such in our little slice of heaven.

He also gave me a free donut.