A cold-hearted landlord gave a woman an eviction notice because she couldn’t pay her rent. But when he went to his sister’s house for dinner, he was shocked to see her there.
Life is tough, and it’s even worse when the people around us have no compassion. Diane Salinger knew what tough times were like. At sixty-two, she had faced more bad days than good and shed many tears.
But Diane wasn’t someone who gave up easily. Whenever life knocked her down, she got back up, ready to fight again. She lost her husband three years ago, and then a tornado destroyed her home. Still, she started over once more.
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She used her savings to buy a small grocery store in a nice town in Michigan. It was perfect for her—big enough to enjoy exotic items she wanted to sell, but small enough to feel cozy.
The town may have been cozy, but Diane’s landlord, Chris Turkle, wasn’t. Diane rented a small apartment from Chris that was close to her store.
When times are tough, people should help each other. Diane was the perfect tenant. She was quiet, respectful, and always paid her rent on time. Then one month, she came up short.
Chris counted the money from her envelope and waved it in her face. “You’re $120 short, Mrs. Salinger.”
Diane blushed. “As I explained, Mr. Turkle, with so many businesses struggling during Covid, I extended credit to some families in need. This month I’m a bit short. I’ll pay the $120 in two weeks.”
“If you want to play Mother Teresa, that’s your problem,” Chris snapped. “I’m a businessman, not a charity! I want you out by the end of the week!”
“But Mr. Turkle,” Diane pleaded. “It’s just one week, and I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
“It happened once, and that’s enough. You’re out,” Chris said coldly as he walked away. He felt justified. Diane’s grocery store seemed busy, with people constantly coming in and out with full shopping bags. “Short on cash? Yeah, right,” Chris thought. “She’s just taking advantage.”
Chris went home to get ready for dinner at his sister Vanessa’s house. He often worried about her. She was a single mom, working two jobs to support herself and her 16-year-old son. Chris had offered her son a weekend job, but Vanessa always refused, saying, “It’s okay, Chris. I’ll manage.” But Chris had noticed she looked tired and worn out.
Since it was his nephew’s birthday, Chris tucked $20 in an envelope, put it in his jacket, and walked to Vanessa’s house.
Vanessa greeted him with a smile. She seemed more relaxed than usual, and the house smelled delicious. “Hey!” he said, giving her a kiss on the cheek. “Where’s the birthday boy?”
“Playing video games with Diane,” Vanessa smiled. “Come on in!” She called up the stairs, “Joss, Diane, time for dinner!”
To Chris’ shock, in walked Mrs. Salinger—the tenant he had just evicted! She seemed to get along well with his sister and nephew. Diane looked surprised but stayed calm.
“Hello,” she said with a smile. “I didn’t know you were Vanessa’s brother.”
Chris blushed. “Yes, she’s my younger sister.”
“Everyone, come on! The roast is ready,” Vanessa called.
“Roast!” Joss exclaimed. “That’s my favorite! But mom, I thought you didn’t get paid until next week. How did you afford this?”
Diane smiled at Joss and patted his hand. “Don’t worry about that,” she said. “Your mom’s credit is good with me. Now, let’s eat!”
Chris leaned in and asked quietly, “Is Vanessa the person you’re helping?”
Diane nodded. “She’s one of them. One of her jobs didn’t work out, so I’m just helping until she’s back on her feet.”
Chris felt ashamed. “I’m so sorry… about everything. Why didn’t Vanessa ask me for help?”
Diane replied gently, “She has her pride. She wants to stand on her own. It’s easier to accept help from a friend than to feel like a burden on family.”
Chris whispered, “From now on, you can have the apartment at half-price. Consider it an investment in our town—and in my sister.”
By the end of the evening, Chris realized Diane was a kind and funny woman. He enjoyed her company, and his view of the community changed. He decided to follow Diane’s example and start offering a helping hand.
Sofía Vergara Recalls Hiring a Dialect Coach to Get Rid of Her ‘Beautiful Accent’: ‘It Was a F—ing Waste’
Regarding the jobs she’s been offered, Vergara remarked, “It’s hard because this accent is beautiful, but it’s like, I cannot be a scientist, I cannot be an astronaut.”
Though actress Sofía Vergara has also been known for her beauty and melodious accent, she was initially resolved to get rid of the latter over fears her speech would limit the opportunities that would come her way.
The 51-year-old Griselda actor said, “I cannot take this accent away no matter what,” while talking about the parts she has been offered since her days on Modern Family. She also stated that she didn’t want to play her character “Gloria [Pritchett] again” in another comedy series.
“I tried when I first started my career,” she recounted during the drama actress round table hosted by The Hollywood Reporter. “I couldn’t believe Salma Hayek or Penélope Cruz didn’t change their accents—they would have had so many more opportunities—when I first went to Los Angeles. I’m going to carry it out.
Then, Vergara continued, “I wasted so much money and time with people teaching me, and it was a f—ing waste.”
The actress talked candidly about the challenges she had landing a serious part after playing Gloria, a Colombian bombshell and single mother, on the ABC sitcom for 11 years.
She said, “It was almost like playing myself.” “In my entire life, I never attended an acting class. It’s difficult for me to change my direction since, although my accent is lovely, I feel like I can’t be an astronaut or a scientist.
She did more than just hire a dialect coach as a preventative step to advance her career. Vergara said that she has never lied to “get a job,” but she did admit that she has “lied to my agents so they would take me when I moved to L.A.”
“I said I could sing and dance. Why not? She giggled, “I didn’t think they were going to send me out.” “After that, they sent me to a Broadway audition in Chicago.”
She was cast in the role of “I played Mama Morton in Chicago,” in spite of her first worries.
Vergara stunned viewers with her portrayal of Miami drug queenpin Griselda Blanco in Netflix’s Griselda, despite the fact that she may be best known for her comedic roles.
During an appearance on former costar Jesse Tyler Ferguson’s Dinner’s on Me podcast, the actress remarked on having “a lot of similarities” to the drug lord and how her own family’s experiences with sorrow informed how she handled the character.
Sadly, Vergara’s elder brother, who had been in the drug trade for a while, “was killed in Colombia in the ’90s.”
Thus, I believed I comprehended a good deal of those topics. I understood that business, I understood that woman, and so I felt it was a really interesting character,” she said, noting that she didn’t approach the role looking for “a character to prove that I can be a tragic actress.”
She continued, “I felt that it had to be someone that I kind of, like, knew who she was.”
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