Member-only story
Lessons I Learnt Dating a Bank Robber
A true story
How it all started
I knew he would be trouble the moment I laid eyes on him. Chris was six feet four inches tall, loud, charismatic and utterly charming.
He had answered my ad, offering a room to rent. After my divorce, I did my best to keep my four children in the stability of the only home they had ever known, but I needed income.
My children shared a bedroom, and I rented out two attic rooms that shared a small bathroom. I offered short six-month lets on the basis that if someone didn’t fit in, they would not be there for long. Some (Hi Mike from Taiwan) stayed for years.
When my gut warned me to steer clear, I gave Chris my usual spiel about getting back to him after I had met the other applicants. But he played the trump card and pulled out a massive wad of cash. “If you are worried about money, I can pay you a deposit and the full six months in advance.” I had bills to pay, and the lure of certain cash was too much for me. It was the last money I ever received from him. And he stayed for two years.
