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Thread: Pissed at The People Next Door

  1. #1
    Oliphaunt jali's avatar
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    Default Pissed at The People Next Door

    I moved at the beginning of the month to a new apartment. I love it there! One of my coworkers has various rental properties, and I chose the one closest to the rail line. My commute is wonderful and inexpensive.

    I live in a converted cottage that is now a duplex. I mention cottage so that you'll understand that each apartment is small. I have one bedroom, a good sized kitchen and a living room. My washer dryer barely fits in the laundry room. My new home is the perfect size for me.

    My next door neighbor, Miss Earline has suffered a series of strokes. She's 59 and unable to work and receives some type of government benefit. She's a very nice lady and we've had good conversations on our front porch.

    On my second day there, she asked to borrow my phone. I thought that perhaps her phone needed a charge, and I didn't think much of the request. I later learned that she has no telephone at all. A former stroke patient with no way to call 911.

    There's a government program that gives phones to those who can't afford them for use in emergencies. They offer 68 free minutes per month. I went online and ordered Miss Earline a phone.

    Later that day I learned that Miss Earline has allowed her 40 year old son and his girlfriend and their toddler to move in with her. (Remember "cottage"?) Her son and girlfriend don't work. They live in the bedroom and she moved her bed to the living room.

    A few days later the phone arrived. I showed Miss Earline how to charge the phone and how to make calls.

    I got home from work the next evening to see her 40 year old son using the phone.

    I came back outside about 15 minutes later to smoke a cigarette and he was still on the phone.

    A day or so later, he asked to borrow my phone. I asked him what happened to his mother's phone and he explained that all the minutes were gone.

    Both he and his mother have borrowed my phone off and on since then.

    Last night she knocked to tell me that the son in law (who pays most of her rent) has been hospitalized, and that she wanted me to leave my phone at home with them today so that she could keep up with the situation.

    I told her I couldn't do it and I'm pissed at myself for feeling guilty about it. I'm considering getting her a phone card today so that she can use her phone, but I'm still annoyed that she let her non working, non contributing son use all the minutes she had on her free phone and I'm worried that the moochers will use up any new minutes I buy.

    I'm angry at the situation and I feel as though no matter how I try to help, the moochers will just suck up the benefit and the Miss Earline will have to do without.
    They weren't singing....they were just honking.
    Glee 2009

  2. #2
    my god, he's full of stars... OneCentStamp's avatar
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    I know those people. I can't stand them. It makes me angry just to think about them.

    :Shake:
    "You laugh at me because I'm different; I laugh at you because I'm on nitrous."

    find me at Goodreads

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    Quote Originally posted by jali View post
    I'm angry at the situation and I feel as though no matter how I try to help, the moochers will just suck up the benefit and the Miss Earline will have to do without.
    That really does suck, Jali. I wish I had some great advice to give for how to handle those people, because you shouldn't have your generosity taken advantage of like that.

  4. #4
    Yes, I'm a cat. What's it to you? Muffin's avatar
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    When I lived in an apartment one summer in London, Ontario a mooch downstairs asked if he could go to the store on my bicycle. I said OK, and thought that it was a one time thing.

    The following spring, I found my bicycle seized up from rust from the fellow using it in the winter on salt coated streets. The mooch admitted to having used it without my permission several times that winter.

    I took the bike in to a bike shop. The rust was so severe that everything but the frame had to be replaced.

    Shortly after the rebuilding of my bicycle, I took it back into the shop for some adjustments. That night, all the bicycles in the shop were stolen, including mine.

    Then the two co-owners of the shop had a parting of the ways, the shop closed, and both co-owners moved out of town.

    My insurance company refused to cover the theft because the bicycle was in the care of the shop. The shop’s insurance company refused to cover the theft because it was my bicycle rather than the shop's bicycle. After some letters by me threatening a claim against both of the insuance companies, my insurance company eventually paid for a new bike.

    My new bike was stolen shortly thereafter. Then its replacement was stolen.

    Bicycle mooches and bicycle thieves – someone ought to sick on them.
    Last edited by Muffin; 27 Oct 2009 at 09:29 AM.

  5. #5
    Oliphaunt jali's avatar
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    Wow Muffin. Bad luck with bikes for sure - the worst is that the mooch used it without your permission and let it rust, which of course lead to the rest.

    Some people really suck!
    They weren't singing....they were just honking.
    Glee 2009

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    Free Exy Cluricaun's avatar
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    Isn't is so that any activated phone, regardless if it has service or not, can make emergency calls to 911? I thought that's what they did with the old phones I donate to the police for distribution at women's shelters did. You can't talk on them all day long, but if you need a phone for an emergency they work. Perhaps I was under the wrong impression.

    Anyway, screw these people. They can't hobble together $20 a month for a Cricket phone or a Virgin phone for emergencies? Lock your house up tight and never let them see you blinging it in any way shape or form. In our last apartment before we bought our house our neighbors for the last year and a half were these same types. The mom worked and seemed pretty nice, but her daughter was one of those moochy weirdos who:

    1. Had a kid who had screaming rage fits to the point that the cops and Family Services would come at least once a week and would often end up being taken by an ambulance.
    2. Had several different live in boyfriends who would rob them and dissappear.
    3. Would ask to borrow anything she saw you with, books, DVD's, cigarettes, anything.
    4. Would knock on our door at all hours asking if we had any beer/smokes/food/etc.
    5. Never had any kind of a job until she started working part time at the gas station where she was fired for stealing smokes and lotto tickets.

    I hated these people with the power of a thousand burning suns and didn't make any effort to hide it. I was abrupt and rude and mean to them all the time. I wanted to scare them into not robbing my house or bothering me. I would answer the door and menacingly say things like "Get the fuck away from my door you fucking asshole." with my thousand yard prison stare firmly fixed on my face. This is a vibe I've developed over the years out of need. I'm actually one of the nicest guys in the world, but I can scare street people if I have to.

    My fiancee however was not blessed with a heart of black iron and so it took her months to get to where I was on the first day so they felt encouraged to annoy us more. The day we moved was one of the best days ever.
    Hell, if I didn't do things just because they made me feel a bit ridiculous, I wouldn't have much of a social life. - Santo Rugger.

  7. #7
    my god, he's full of stars... OneCentStamp's avatar
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    Quote Originally posted by Cluricaun View post
    My fiancee however was not blessed with a heart of black iron
    OTOH, if she had been, she probably wouldn't be as pleasant a fiancee.
    "You laugh at me because I'm different; I laugh at you because I'm on nitrous."

    find me at Goodreads

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    Free Exy Cluricaun's avatar
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    Quote Originally posted by OneCentStamp View post
    OTOH, if she had been, she probably wouldn't be as pleasant a fiancee.
    This is a true story. Like the new avatar dude.
    Hell, if I didn't do things just because they made me feel a bit ridiculous, I wouldn't have much of a social life. - Santo Rugger.

  9. #9
    Bad Tempered Old Tyrant Queen of Hearts's avatar
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    jali, have you told the landlord? If Miss Earline is getting rent assistance this situation may not be acceptable, and the useless twits may be required to move out.

  10. #10
    my god, he's full of stars... OneCentStamp's avatar
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    Quote Originally posted by Cluricaun View post
    Like the new avatar dude.
    Thanks!
    "You laugh at me because I'm different; I laugh at you because I'm on nitrous."

    find me at Goodreads

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    Oliphaunt jali's avatar
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    Quote Originally posted by Queen of Hearts View post
    jali, have you told the landlord? If Miss Earline is getting rent assistance this situation may not be acceptable, and the useless twits may be required to move out.
    I haven't told him yet, but I'll have to since I consider him a friend. The $300 per month she contributes (she told me that she pays her son-in- law and he writes the check to our landlord) is all she can afford. There's no way that the moochers can come up with the rest and they'll need to start looking for another place to stay. Our landlord is a nice guy, but doesn't want the moochers there at all. He just started billing additional water use fees this month (the water bill has tripled). His agreement is with the son-in-law - he didn't even know Miss Earline's name until I told him.
    They weren't singing....they were just honking.
    Glee 2009

  12. #12
    Oliphaunt jali's avatar
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    Quote Originally posted by Cluricaun View post
    Isn't is so that any activated phone, regardless if it has service or not, can make emergency calls to 911? I thought that's what they did with the old phones I donate to the police for distribution at women's shelters did. You can't talk on them all day long, but if you need a phone for an emergency they work. Perhaps I was under the wrong impression.
    You're right. I actually checked this out today, and she should still be able to call 911. I feel better knowing this at least.

    ETA - I just bought apartment insurance online - I don't trust the moochers at all.
    Last edited by jali; 27 Oct 2009 at 03:07 PM.
    They weren't singing....they were just honking.
    Glee 2009

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    Jesus F'ing Christ Glazer's avatar
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    Quote Originally posted by jali View post
    I haven't told him yet, but I'll have to since I consider him a friend. The $300 per month she contributes (she told me that she pays her son-in- law and he writes the check to our landlord) is all she can afford. There's no way that the moochers can come up with the rest and they'll need to start looking for another place to stay. Our landlord is a nice guy, but doesn't want the moochers there at all. He just started billing additional water use fees this month (the water bill has tripled). His agreement is with the son-in-law - he didn't even know Miss Earline's name until I told him.
    I agree tell your friend on the situation. Not all of the water bill is the moochers though. Atlanta's water dept. has greatly increased rates to pay for the sewer rehab work that's being done. One thing that Shirley Franklin has done right is to fix the sewers and water system. Its been in bad shape for thirty years and every mayor has passed the buck till Shirley. I'm gonna miss her.
    Welcome to Mellophant.

    We started with nothing and we still have most of it left.

  14. #14
    Free Exy Cluricaun's avatar
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    Quote Originally posted by jali View post
    You're right. I actually checked this out today, and she should still be able to call 911. I feel better knowing this at least.

    ETA - I just bought apartment insurance online - I don't trust the moochers at all.
    Good call on the insurance and if you have any good will left towards these goofs make sure that they know that they can call 911 on a phone with no minutes, just in case. It would suck for the lady to die because of additional ignorance on their part.
    Hell, if I didn't do things just because they made me feel a bit ridiculous, I wouldn't have much of a social life. - Santo Rugger.

  15. #15
    Sophmoric Existentialist
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    No one can take advantage of you without your permission. Do not lend these people anything else. It is not your job to look after them.
    Sophmoric Existentialist

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    Prehistoric Bitchslapper Sarahfeena's avatar
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    Agreed, vison...the trick is helping Miss Earline without helping the ne'er-do-wells.
    Last edited by Sarahfeena; 28 Oct 2009 at 03:58 PM.

  17. #17
    Oliphaunt jali's avatar
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    I talked to our landlord and he's going to talk to Miss Earline's daughter to see if she'll be able to continue supplimenting her mother's rent. If not, he'll allow them to break the lease and move. He's a good guy and since it's a money issue because of an illness, he won't hold them legally.

    I would love it if Miss Earline would go to her daughter alone. I don't know enough about the other family relationships to understand why the "good ones" didn't provide a phone for their mother in the first place.

    I feel sorry for Miss Earline - I'm sure she was a hard working, contributing member of society before the strokes. She still gets up at about 6 every morning and looks for things to do. She's really very nice - her son just takes advantage all the time. I wouldn't mind helping her more often if I didn't think that he would reap most of the benefit.

    I know it's not my job to look after people, but I fell better sometimes if I do help those in need. It's the moochers that get to me.
    They weren't singing....they were just honking.
    Glee 2009

  18. #18
    Stegodon Jaglavak's avatar
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    Now that you have apartment insurance, take pix of all your stuff and store the data online or somewhere off site.

  19. #19
    Oliphaunt jali's avatar
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    Quote Originally posted by Jaglavak View post
    Now that you have apartment insurance, take pix of all your stuff and store the data online or somewhere off site.
    This is a great idea! I hadn't thought of this and I'll do it tonight. I can send it to my office email addy. Thanks.
    They weren't singing....they were just honking.
    Glee 2009

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    Quote Originally posted by jali View post
    I know it's not my job to look after people, but I fell better sometimes if I do help those in need.
    Yeah, and it sucks that trying to do something nice for a decent person like Miss Earline ends up with you being taken advantage of. That's the worst thing about people like that -- they encourage generous people like you to stop giving to folks in need.

  21. #21
    Jesus F'ing Christ Glazer's avatar
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    Quote Originally posted by Jaglavak View post
    Now that you have apartment insurance, take pix of all your stuff and store the data online or somewhere off site.
    Also list the serial numbers. The pics are for the insurance company so they can replace your stuff. The serial numbers are for the police to help them get a conviction should they ever catch the thieves.
    Welcome to Mellophant.

    We started with nothing and we still have most of it left.

  22. #22
    Go Phillies !! Cartooniverse's avatar
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    Quote Originally posted by jali View post
    You're right. I actually checked this out today, and she should still be able to call 911. I feel better knowing this at least.

    ETA - I just bought apartment insurance online - I don't trust the moochers at all.
    Read all of your posts so far. You have a decent heart and reached out to someone in serious need and have been smacked for it. That just sucks. Yes, the Always On 911 feature should allow them to get a donated Cell Phone that has zero minutes but can be used to contact EMS.

    I got renter's insurance a few months ago. Moved into my own place, and boy do I feel your claustrophobic pain. I have one room. And a small bathroom. Dat's it ! That, after 15 years in a 1700 sq foot house. Boy, ya throw a lotta stuff out. Got coverage on the new place and feel much better for it. It was quite cheap- $ 300 for $ 30,000.00 in stuff.

    The mooching thing seems only a part of the problem. There's an air of entitlement that I'd like to smack right out of a lot of teens and 20-somethings. The son doesn't work? The girlfriend doesn't either? Times are tough. But that means you don't abuse your resources.

    Selfish. Fucking. Entitled. Kids :Shake:

    Cartooniverse
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