I was exhausted after coming back from a week long business trip. So when the kids wanted to watch the movie Inside Out on a Saturday morning, I was most willing to take them to the cinema – I could enjoy a 2-hour nap in my seat!
The story of Inside Out develops around a 11-year-old girl Riley whose five core emotions – Joy, Sadness, Disgust, Fear, and Anger – are housed in the headquarters which controls five islands: personality, family, friendship, honesty and hockey.
When Riley faces the hardship of relocating to another city with her family, the five islands collapse one by one. While Anger, Disgust, and Fear only make things worse, Joy and Sadness have to find their way back to the headquarters to restore the happy core memories and bring back the happiness in Riley.
The magic of Walt Disney animated film is that there is always a happy ending. With that reassurance, I fell into slumberland …
(Note: Words below in italic text were under the influence of lines from the movie when I was in my subconscious mind.)
Condo for Rent – Act 1, Scene 1
Owner = Character “Sadness” in Inside Out
Agent = Character “Joy” in Inside Out
Owner: We have been trying to rent out this place for weeks now.
Agent: I already brought many parties to see the unit …
Owner: But so far I don’t see any reasonable offer. You think we could get any (tenant) in there?
Agent: Think positive.
Owner: I’m positive that we don’t have any (tenant) in there.
Agent: Ok, I admit it. We had a rough start, but think of all the good things that…
Owner: (gets emotional) Why is there no offer even we lower the asking rent? Where the xxxx are all the tenants? What’s wrong with the market now? When will my place be taken up? We are waiting for nothing but bad news, bad news again, and more bad news … Sorry, I went sad again, didn’t I?
Agent: Hey, it will be alright.
Owner: (overwhelmed with emotions) Stop saying everything will be alright. I don’t know how long I can leave my property vacant. I am paying $3,500 a month for the housing loan. Even nobody stays there I still have to pay the management fee and property tax you know. Even the bank has to threaten me to pay higher interests.
Agent: (silence)
Owner: I’m too sad (to talk). Just give me a few … (sob) Excuse me, crying helps me slow down and obsess over the weight of life’s problems.
Agent: Fine, let’s sleep on it. Because hey, I’m sure jolly, fun-filled times are just around the corner!
Owner: No, there’s absolutely no reason for us to be happy right now. Let us handle this.
Condo for Rent – Act 1, Scene 2
Owner = Character “Anger” in Inside Out
Agent = Character “Disgust” in Inside Out
Owner: Didn’t I tell you that we can’t go lower than $4,300? That is the minimum rent I would accept.
Agent: But $4,000 is the maximum that he can pay. Besides, we don’t have any other offer.
Owner: (raises his voice) I pay $3,500 to the bank and $500 to the management office every month. And this guy wants to rent my place for $4,000 and still asks for a king-size bed, a brand new dryer, free WiFi? Do you ever look at someone and wonder, what is going on inside their head?
Agent: Well, he mentioned another unit in the next block. The landlord was willing to provide all these at no extra cost.
Owner: (gets upset) Didn’t he see that my unit is on a higher floor and has the best facing and layout? And what the xxxx you know whether he is saying the truth? Can’t you see that he is just bluffing you?
Agent: (with contempt) Well, all owners think that they bought the best flat. It is the tenants who go to view all the different projects and units.
Owner: (very angry) Isn’t that your job to market the good points of my place to all the tenants out there? Isn’t that exactly what I am paying you for? If you just do listing in property portals and wait for tenants to take it up, I can also do it myself!
Agent: (feels hurt) If you don’t believe in my decades of experience in the property industry and my track record of deals closed, you don’t have to engage my service.
Owner: Well, what would you do if you’re so smart?
Agent: (in disgust) I’d tell you, but you’re too dumb to understand.
Owner: I don’t know where this disrespectful attitude came from.
Agent: You owners always want to save this save that and end up missing all the good offers. You leave the place vacant for another month, you miss another month’s rent. Time is money.
Owner: (silence)
Agent: This is the one and only one real offer we have now. And you seldom find these kind of good tenants with reputable jobs and company lease. Shouldn’t we consider it or at least counteroffer? If you let this one slip, you never know when the next offer will come.
Owner: (sigh and soften his voice) Alright, $4,300 we will give him everything he wants and $4,000 for taking it as it is. Listen, if you can’t rent it out this time, I’d call that an unqualified success.
Agent: Well, I’ll try.
Owner: Don’t just try. Take (him) to the moon for me, okay?
Agent: Okay, I will get back to you on this. (long sigh) I know owners like you – inside out.
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