Subject: Chat with Karen Lancaster
From: Karen Lancaster <lancaster.karen@gmail.com>
To: barriticus@gmail.com

Karen: OK, just made the transfer. Are you there alone -- did Mel and P. guy already move out?
me: yep
Karen: Is Mirna there?
me: not till the 1st
Karen: Any other options -- Josh and John, Mirna, etc?
me: why? got one girl confirmed, already had another e-mail already after new ad
Karen: Because you KNOW THEM. They are RELIABLE. You're branching out into the unknown with strangers.
me: well, the girl I've already accepted has an online paper trail
me: she's a pretty talented and responsible-seeming journalist
Karen: Yes, but have you ASKED Josh and John -- do they know you are all alone now in that apt?
me: yes, John's over here now
me: again, Josh and John are already getting a place together
Karen: Can't you ask to join them?
me: no
me: I have this girl coming in tomorrow
me: what you're asking is for me to break an agreement with a nice girl who's clearly got money and is responsible and leave her stranded in NYC
me: and who's going to be giving me a $600 deposit
Karen: Bird in the hand, two in the bush.
Karen: Josh and John being the bird, unknown girl being the bush.
me: So, you're saying that you want me to tell the girl who's on the train to NYC
me: actuallly
me: I'm sorry, as much as I owe you, I'm not going to fuck over Tiffany Rainey just because you're worried
Karen: I'M PAYING FOR THIS!
Karen: How much does Straub owe you? Mel owe you? Caleb owe you?
me: I've already explained this to you
me: several times
me: and I appreciate your help
Karen: Send me an itemized list of who owes you what.
me: okay
Karen: And call dad now.
me: I'll do that.
me: But I want you to take a moment and think about what you're asking me to do
me: Because, again, even though I'm worthless and have no right to question you since I owe you money and have made mistakes and failed to make enough money
me: You do make mistakes in judgment as well.
me: And I think that you asking me to tell a girl that's on her way to NYC right now that I can't let her live here because my mom is worried
me: is somewhat akin to the mental hospital threat
Karen: I'm not WORRIED -- I'm just running out of MONEY.
Karen: and it wasn't mental hospital it was rehab
me: And you think these girls won't pay their rent but John and Josh will?
me: Do you know that Andrew had to pay for John and Josh's rent?
me: for several months?
Karen: I didn't think Mel or Porno guy would pay rent either, and I was right, right?
me: Mel did pay rent; he was often late, just as Josh and John often are
me: And porno guy did pay rent, he's just been screwed around by his new restaurant
me: and I threw him out nonetheless
me: because I can't take you hating me anymore
Karen: I don't hate you.
me: but he'll be fine
me: no, but you act like it
Karen: I am just worried that you are not going to be able to support yourself.
me: That's fiine
me: but the way you've treated me over the past few days has been counteproductive
me: I owe you money
me: And I have never been anywhere close to perfect
me: but you'll never know how much pain it is possible to feel until you wake up and have your mom tell you she's having you thrown into some sort of institution because she thinks you wrote a haughty line in an article