rosiedoes: (Mood: Rage)
Rosie ([personal profile] rosiedoes) wrote2006-08-02 12:47 am
Entry tags:

Home sweet home?

I am so angry.

For those of you unfamiliar with this story, I have an alcoholic housemate (one of four) called Mapie. Mapie has no concept of other people. She would come and sit next to me when I was signed off work with chest infections it later turned out were not related to asthma (which they now don't believe I have) but due to an allergy to cigarette smoke, and say "You have a bad cough" and then light up. She smoked in the house constantly. I would always say that it was okay, because I didn't want to make her uncomfortable - and because she'd already be lighting her cigarettes as she asked.

Mapie has also been guilty of afternoon barbecues that have started on Saturday morning and ended Monday evening. She has an abundance of unemployed friends - as she herself is, which also annoys me as she's not even English, but French - and hasn't worked for a number of years. She gets her rent paid, her council tax, money for amenities and to live on - and she can afford to go out drinking every night - why would she bother getting a job?

Anyway, we have a room to rent, here from 1 September, and I mentioned to Elise that if things got desperate maybe she should move in there for a while - ironically, as I thought things had improved in the house. It wasn't final, and it would obviously have been down to the other three to agree that she was suitable. I mentioned this to Mapie, earlier, and she sniffed and told me she had already spoken to her friend Claudine, who might be interested.

Claudine is a French-Canadian lady who helped Mapie bring some drug dealers into the house about a year ago; drug dealers who subsequently threatened to beat up Gabriel - in his own home. He was terrified, when I came home. I think the police had been around, if I remember correctly.

Tonight, she came in drunk and demanded to watch TV, and I asked - very carefully and politely - if she could wait just forty-five minutes so I could watch the end of an episode of Killer Instinct that Joe May was in. She wanted to watch Eastenders, about which when she said to me earlier, "Typical for my friends to call when I want to watch Eastenders!" I had said, "Do you want to watch it now? I don't mind - I can go in my room if you want..." as we have a sort of view-on-demand package for some programs. She said no.

Anyway - my polite refusal of her demand turned into the usual self-righteous rant she drags out on the very, very rare occasions I say 'no' to her. 'WAH WAH WAH, we shouldn't have a TV in the living room because I never get to watch it/WAH WAH WAH, you are always in the living room'

Firstly, yes, she does. Every day when I come home it is on the Francophone channel. If she doesn't watch it during all those hours when she is at home and I'm working, that isn't my problem. If she wanted to watch it most evenings, all she would have to do is say so, or come and sit down. It's just unfortunate that tonight was the one night when there was something on I really needed to watch for TCO as we've been doing reviews for his projects.

Secondly, it's a communal sitting room. If I want to sit there, shouldn't that be okay at any time? I'm not stopping anyone else coming in, just by being there. I even encourage people - usually Andrea or Gabriel - to come and join me, if they want to. But they hardly ever do.

Mapie's claim tonight, was that they are all scared of me. And that they all dislike me.

(Who does that sound like, everyone?)

And apparently, I'm also crazy. Yes, I'm crazy for finding the rantings of a drunk, belligerent, French nutter irritating. Apparently, I make her feel she can't smoke in the living room because I 'say stuff' - which I never do. I just leave. But considering no one else smokes in the common areas of the house, because they think of the non-smokers instead of just themselves, I don't think she has any right to complain. She started smoking through choice - I didn't develop an allergy on purpose just to annoy her.

I rarely raise my voice to her - unless I'm replying to something she's yelling down the hall from halfway up the stairs. Because raising your voice loses you the argument, and I'm not that childish any more. What I am, though, is really sick of being made to feel this way in my own home. I seriously need to get out - although I hate to let her win like that. Which I know is a petty attitude to have, but she really does want to own this place. She pretty much thinks she already does.

When I was thrown out of home, and decided to stay away for good, it was because I couldn't stand being abused and persecuted in a place where I was supposed to be at ease. I'm still feeling like that here. If ever she comes in and doesn't immediately say 'hi' to me I'm on edge because I think she's come in drunk and is going to throw one of these strops. I can't stand living like that.

I left a note for Gabriel telling him what happened tonight and asking if I could have a chat to him tomorrow, because I want to establish whether he is scared of me and dislikes me as much as Mapie says. I'm also going to talk to Mr Malick, our landlord. As far as I can see, for all my faults, she's the one who makes life hard for everyone, here. She leaves the kitchen filthy while drunken friends of hers pass out and let their children poo on the floor in the downstairs toilet - and are too out of it to clean it up - all weekend. She's the one who brings people in off the street - literally, off the street - and then claims they attempted to rape her outside my unlocked door, even though I hear nothing.

What the hell am I supposed to do? I think I have two or three months left of my contract - although I can pay to break it, if I like - and I'd need to save to move, because I won't get my deposit back immediately. I don't even have anywhere to go - although I'm considering (vaguely) asking to lodge at my uncle's house for a while, which would mean moving back to Ashford, which I would loathe.

The simple fact is, either she goes, or I go. And it's getting increasingly urgent.

[identity profile] anjak-j.livejournal.com 2006-08-02 12:18 am (UTC)(link)
What a twat! Would this be the same one who disappeared for days leaving everyone thinking the worst a while back???

I would say she should get a job - but I'd be a fine one to talk - though I have worked most of the past 5 years.

And her friend - no fucking way! Seriously, she bought drug-dealers into your home and then thinks she might move in??? And people who threatened Gabriel??? What kind of crack is she smoking???!!!!1!!!1!

Hopefully people will have the intelligence to get shot of her, however, it is always good to keep your options open. And hey, if I get somewhere in between, and you fancy Wales for a bit, you can crash...

[identity profile] shinko.livejournal.com 2006-08-02 01:11 am (UTC)(link)
That bitch needs to go. She's a disgraceful excuse for a human being. Disrespectful towards your health, your safety, and your religious preference, if I recall correctly. I say that you talk to your landlord, present all your complaints against her and stay smack where you are. You shouldn't be forced to leave because of some dumb skank.

[identity profile] desala.livejournal.com 2006-08-02 01:27 am (UTC)(link)
She is the one that needs to go, not you. Seems she is destroying your home and doesn't give a damn about other people except herself.

[identity profile] ashe-frost.livejournal.com 2006-08-02 01:38 am (UTC)(link)
I'd bet if you told your landlord what she was up to and what kind of people she brought into the house and how many times she'd had the police called in, he'd probably be pretty ready to get rid of her..

[identity profile] million-moments.livejournal.com 2006-08-02 06:29 am (UTC)(link)
Your doing what you can to get rid of her, and if you can't, then you have to leave as you know. Cause nobody should be unhappy in their own home. If you can make out the next couple of months try to.

Start looking for places to let. It'll give you some hope for now...

[identity profile] ripperlyn.livejournal.com 2006-08-02 06:46 am (UTC)(link)
I think your last line (and all the hundreds of posts before this one) sums it up. Either she leaves or you do. Having lived in tense living situations before, I can say first hand that whatever hassle it is - moving away for a while, saving up, looking for a new place - is ultimately worth it to have somewhere where you can come home and relax in a safe place.

When you talk to your landlord, explain the situation to him, and tell him you want to make it clear you like your house and your other housemates, but Mapie is making it impossible for you to live there. Ask him about sorting out a quicker return of your deposit, and explain why. If you can get a note from your doctor about the athsma, tell him about that, as that's a medical situation and might help expidite things.

Is there anywhere in London you can couch surf, rather than moving to Ashford?

Best luck sweetie.

xx

[identity profile] pionie.livejournal.com 2006-08-02 09:35 am (UTC)(link)
gah what a pain in the arse that woman is. As ashe said, your landlord isn't going to be happy when he hears about the police and stuff. If you want to stay, I don't see why you should be the one forced out.

[identity profile] mugglerock.livejournal.com 2006-08-02 02:52 pm (UTC)(link)
Talk about roommate from Hell. I'm surprised she's still there, actually. But I think you should tell her you developed the smoke allergy on purpose just so she'd move the fuck out. ;D

Goodluck, doll.

[identity profile] elethe.livejournal.com 2006-08-02 05:27 pm (UTC)(link)
Because of continuing internet woes I have only just managed to log on to LJ and get this far in my flist.

Here's to hoping everything works out in the end. Although, really, she should be the one leaving seeing as she is clearly so unreasonable.

[identity profile] rosiedoes.livejournal.com 2006-08-02 05:38 pm (UTC)(link)
She's not unreasonable; she's entirely bloody insane.