Diane had been the perfect tenant for years – her rent always arrived on time, her apartment stayed spotless, and she never caused trouble. So when the 62-year-old came up $120 short one month, she never imagined it would cost her home. Landlord Chris Turkle didn’t hesitate. “Business is business,” he declared, giving her until Friday to vacate. Diane’s pleas about temporary financial troubles fell on deaf ears.
That evening, Chris arrived at his sister Vanessa’s apartment for dinner, a birthday card with $20 for his nephew in hand. The warm aroma of roast beef greeted him – an unusual luxury for his cash-strapped sister. Then he saw her: Diane, the woman he’d just evicted, sitting at the table helping his nephew with homework.
As Vanessa explained how Diane had been bringing them meals since she lost one of her jobs, Chris’s face burned with shame. The woman he’d dismissed as irresponsible had been quietly supporting his own family. That night, Chris offered Diane her apartment back at half the rent, learning too late that true strength lies in compassion, not rigid rules.
