High Society by Ben Hayward

Cocaine dust was wiped across the sleeve, poorly disguised by a collection of unspent notes. Some of the dust had been gathered on saliva covered twenty pound note. Comparatively clean, but crumpled monies filled the woman’s brassier. Her partner had left in a hurry without probably dressing himself and had forgotten his jacket. Given the state of the room she is at liberty to relieve herself of its contents if she wishes.

We have given her a short period to leave the premises and to collect her belongings before we attempt to salvage the area and its contents. The girl is not to blame, well not in a legal sense; her name is not on the bill.

After she leaves the decision is made to place the jacket in lost property. The carpets are torn up, the beige colour has turned much deeper, now more closely mirroring maroon. It is damp, soaking my oxfords with each and every step. The maids are then instructed to rip of the rest of it, dry the floorboards out and roll a new one down.

Beneath the carpets we find bags of white and brown powder stuffed tightly in to the knots of the underlay. Some of them are burst, further scarring the rug’s thread. The man will receive an even higher bill as a result of the exponential damage to the property and the subsequent lack of space that we have for our customers.

Contact has been made with several fitters and upholsterers to help resolve some of the issues, especially with the fixtures. We have been having difficulty getting hold of a plumber, not one with a comprehension of our sanitation at least. The cleaning isn’t much of an issue, however the heavy aesthetic damage is.

There is a significant overflow in the bathroom which has drained through the linoleum and damaged the floorboards and the ceiling of the room below. That area happens to be leased by the same company, and unlike this apartment will continue to be for the next fortnight. If the occupant refuses to pay the fee then his colleague will have his rates raised accordingly.

On visiting the downstairs apartment we find that it is in a similarly desolate state. The occupant is fined and asked to leave. The police have been notified about the group’s illicit activities. There was little response.