Have you heard of the “flop-house”?

Kind of like a capsule hotel if it entered its “flop” era.

The year is 1931 and one Arturo Bandini has come from Denver to Los Angeles because he wants to make it big as a writer. His family raised sheep; he had little money when he set out, and even less when he arrived, but a young man can make do without the nice things if he believes the sacrifice will be worthwhile. Bandini sleeps his first night at the flop-house.

Picture a grainy black and white image so I don’t have to place it here and upset the aesthetic of my blog. It shows a row of two dozen hammocks stretched between simple wooden beams in a poorly-lit room with rough-hewn walls and an unswept floor. This is the kind of place where you can arrive anytime after 6:00, lay your body down in relative comfort, and gain that primordial blessing: a good night’s sleep. Yes, the room is messy and loud and you can’t depend on the security of your body and possessions as much as you can in a traditional hotel. Accommodations for the night cost Mr. Bandini one dime. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistic’s online CPI Inflation calculator, $0.10 in 1931 commands the same buying power as $1.98 in 2024. Yet, nowhere in America can you expect to find a bed for $2.00.