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WHADDYA KNOW...HERE'S ANOTHER OLIO. Although, truth be told, I'm getting rather sick of that word olio. It's a clear and simple case of overuse. Therefore, in the foreseeable future I suppose I'll have to use hodgepodge as the word of choice when I'm warning you of a mess of uncoordinated thoughts coming your way, Dear Reader. And since I've already warned you that's it's just a mess, I might as well ramble while I'm at it. Because one thing really does kind of lead to another, except not in a planned and well-thought-out way. And now that you know that, I'll just abruptly walk backwards into yesterday.

I want to tell you about the sisterly love and concern of two sisters I met yesterday while showing an apartment I have currently for rent. You're supposing, of course, that I'm speaking of a pair of sisters. Well, no...it's true I'll be telling you of two sister sets, but the two of which I speak are not a pair. Each one is only half a sister pair. And look out--I've decided to throw in a third set--who may not even know they're sisters. I hear you muttering, Dear Reader. You think I'm walking in circles as well as backwards, don't you?! And getting a little dizzy in the process. Okay, I am; I do admit. So instead of walking backwards, I'll just start at the beginning and make a concerted attempt to go clearly and concisely forward.

Let's get this straight-- there are three pairs of sisters in this tale, and I'm not seeing double. (Not triple, either). Earlier in the week, I ran an ad for a two-bedroom apartment and then sat and waited for my little white business phone to ring. For all my waiting, I got...yes, three calls. Hurray for me, every caller fell quite easily into my efficient plan to show off these living quarters in three consecutive time slots.

First came Tanya, a young black woman who jotted down the answers to the careful questions that she asked. She was pleasant and polite and was investigating this dwelling space as a possible home for her sister...who's been left by an unhappy husband and now must raise two tiny tots alone. If Tanya's sister were to make my apartment her home, she'd have an hour's commute to work each day, but...she'd be near Tanya.

On her heels, I showed the living quarters to a pair of...parents. Hold on, hold on, they are the parents of a pair of sisters who are three months old!

And then came Holly and Corey. When they hefted themselves from Holly's car, I could easily see these two were sisters, with their matching looks and similar body builds. "My landlord don't want to rent out no more," Holly wrote on the application once they looked around. She's the one who's been renting for three years, but now she has to find another place because she took her sister in--her sister who was recently divorced and had to answer "yes" to this question on my application form: Have you ever been arrested for a misdemeanor or a felony crime?

Now if only I were able to continue walking clearly and concisely forward--knowing what response to give these women who are reaching out to aid their sisters in distress. I'm afraid I'll have to drop this hodgepodge now. I'm back to going round and round in circles--just valiantly wishing I could hopscotch on to something else.

I think I've got to talk this over with two sisters of my own.




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