Arthur had this heavy green steel toolbox he got from his father. It sat in our Cleveland basement for 30 years, filled with heavy wrenches and spare parts.

I still wonder what happened to those extra brass hinges he kept in the bottom drawer. The new owners probably threw them out.

In January, we finally did it.

We found a nice 2-bedroom condo in Sarasota. It had a balcony with a view of the water.

The price was $285,000.

We paid in cash. We handed over our entire life savings of $285,000.

The seller, Vance, was a retired accountant who seemed so sweet and polite. Our realtor, Brenda, was always smiling and telling us how lucky we were.

I put the keys in my yellow folder. We felt like we were in heaven.

We moved in on a warm Tuesday in January. The air smelled like salt water and blooming flowers, which was a miracle to us after Cleveland winters.

For 2 months, we were happy. We walked on Lido Beach every single morning.

We collected little shells and kept them in a glass jar on the kitchen counter.

But by March, our dream turned into a nightmare.

1st, the water pressure in our shower dropped to a trickle. Then they shut the water off entirely for 3 days to patch the pipes. Then the elevator broke.

Then, 1 Friday morning, a certified letter arrived.

It was from Greg, the HOA president. It was a special assessment notice. Every unit owner owed $42,000.

The notice said the building needed a new roof, new elevators, and new plumbing. They wanted the money in 30 days.

My hands shook so hard I could barely read the print.

$42,000.

We didn’t have it. Our savings account was practically empty after paying cash for the condo.

I went down to the pool where Greg was sitting in his golf cart, talking on his cell phone.

“Greg, please,” I said. I could feel the heat rising in my face.

“We paid cash. We have no savings left. Nobody said a word about these repairs before we closed.”