Zip

I finally got around to signing my lease renewal for another year. I hadn't been in any hurry because I wasn't planning on going anywhere, and there wasn't any rush to get it signed. OK, fine, the rent's going up slightly for the next twelve month stretch, but that's pretty much to be expected. Has anyone's rent ever gone down?

As I initialed and signed the document in the appropriate places, I realized that when this new lease kicks in, I'll be entering into my fifth year in this apartment. Can that be right? Have four years gone by? Yes, just like that I've zipped through four years in this place.

Of the six units in my building, I've occupied mine the third longest. It seems hard to believe. Where did that time go?