When one says one rides the New Haven Line to the city, one does not mean one rides all the way from New Haven.

Then again, if one is named Steven Padla, one does, in fact, do that 180-mile commute from New Haven to New York each day.

It’s enough to warm the heart of even the coldest landlord.

To wit, the following entry in the NY Times’ “Metropolitan Diary“:

Dear Diary:

I recently participated in an article about reverse commuters published by a Connecticut newspaper. Thousands travel from the city to Stamford and Greenwich every day, but I’m one of the few who travel the entire length of the New Haven Line.

A couple of days after the story appeared, I received a mysterious voice-mail message at the office with only a name and number. Intrigued, I returned the call.

The man on the other end had read the newspaper story and expressed his condolences for my daily commute. Then he offered to rent an apartment to me. He told me that he and his wife were very selective about their tenants and that the apartment in question had been vacant for three years.

I declined as politely as possible, explaining that my seemingly unusual situation was a choice and that I actually enjoyed the commute, both of which are true.

What I didn’t tell him is that considering the blood, sweat, tears, bank statements, tax returns, other miscellaneous documentation, brokers’ fees and security deposit — not to mention the character references for, and in-person interview with, my dog — required before my rental application was accepted only 18 months ago, I’d sooner commute to the North Pole than move again. A hundred eighty miles a day to and from New Haven is nothing!

Steven Padla