Sometimes, Angry is Good
by Kym on October 29, 2008
So I mentioned awhile back that my Granny recently remarried. At my house, by my husband, with about six days notice. Yup. We’re still recovering from that one. Still, it was more that worth it because her and her new husband John are incredibly happy. They’ve had no issues adjusting from single to married life because they just enjoy each other that much.
Pardon me a brief moment of envy. Opposites may attract as in mine and Neil’s case, but couples with loads in common have an easier time of it, I think.
However, there is a wee little fly in the ointment. Well, not so much wee as a big fat hairy free loading fly who is totally messing with the newlyweds plans.
John and Granny rented out his house before they went on their Honeymoon. They came home to find that the new tennant hadn’t taken on the utilities, hadn’t paid the rent, and apparently had no plans to. Right. So they went about trying to get him evicted. Problem is, it’s hard to evict someone when they won’t open their door. The police won’t get involved till his notice of eviction time is up.
Yes. Bit of a problem there.
I get really, really angry over things like this. In fact, I get downright indignant. Usually in such cases I find I’m more upset than the person who’s being taken advantage of. Sometimes I harness this talent and use it for the greater good, but most of the time I just seethe. And rant.
The hardest bit is a complete lack of comprehension on my part. I can’t wrap my head around it. What makes a person think they have the right to lie, cheat, steal, and just generally make other people miserable? What is in that man’s head as he sits there in someone else’s home, having cheated them out of the rent money?
It reminds me of my office days. I worked in the administrative area of a large furniture store. It was my first real job and it was horribly eye opening. I saw people stealing store supplies and shrugging it off when others noticed, “I’m overdue for a raise,” they’d say. I saw salespeople outright lie to customers to make a sale. I saw people working the bare minimum, spending half their day taking care of personal stuff and only doing what little work was absolutely necessary to scrape by.
I, on the other hand, felt guilty when I accidentally took home a pen from work. And my boss? Laughed at me for it.
I wonder if that’s a symptom of the problem, right there. That laughter. That mocking. It isn’t fashionable to be honest. It isn’t even normal or average. The straight arrow. The person blessed/cursed with a strong moral compass, is the person often getting the most flack. The person who struggles with the simple, basic aspects of how our society runs.
Whereas the people who put their own interests above everything else seem to have a smoother time of it. They seem to fit.
I guess I’ve come further from my high school days than I thought. I’m actually glad I don’t fit in. I’m glad that when I heard the story of John and Granny’s frustration I didn’t shrug it off and think it serves them right for being so trusting. I got angry.
And I’m glad.
19 comments
I agree. Angry is good at times like this. I hope the eviction notice time is up soon and the cops get involved and kick the dude out.
(Now *I’m* getting angry . . . shake it off . . .)
by Annette on October 29, 2008 at 11:57 am. #
That really is despicable. How do we teach our children to value honesty when it’s mocked all around us?
I guess we do the best we can to live what we preach, and know that sometimes, honesty is it’s own reward.
I bet if something had happened at your office – like the petty cash was missing, or someone embezzled thousands of dollars, you would be the last person suspected. At least there’s something to having that kind of respect in the end.
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by JustRandi on October 29, 2008 at 12:18 pm. #
You are so dead on with this. My indignation usually resolves itself with letter-writing, emailing, or phone calls to people in authority. My husband thinks this is really funny. But when someone’s just being a jerk, I’ve learned that I have to calmly tell them how I feel (and I actually can do that) and then walk away if they’re not interested in communicating. I’m not good at seething because I turn it inward and get all ulcery and stuff. It just took me years to be able to speak up without exploding because that was ugly, too. I still have ugly moments when I’m just plain not nice in my anger, but I like to pretend those moments don’t really happen. Because ignoring the issue is totally healthy, right?
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by Melanie J on October 29, 2008 at 12:21 pm. #
It’s called taking advantage of people, situations, and opportunities.
It’s because the world is becoming more and more, a selfish place.
In Alberta, employers are unhappy with the graduates of 2008 because they find them lazy, unmotivated, and unreliable.
This is how our society is becoming.
Because, regardless of the above mentioned, these people are still hired, they get away with doing less, being irresponsible, and of course they take advantage of the situation.
I agree, it’s disgusting, and frustrating.
by Abra on October 29, 2008 at 1:07 pm. #
Terrible. I can’t imagine how those “renters” (stealers, more like it) could twist their minds around thinking that that was OKAY. Maybe their circumstances are more dire than I could ever imagine … but wouldn’t you look for help instead of thinking you could get away with something like that?
And yeah, it sickens me how many people think that honesty is prudishness. Well, I’m a prude … and I like it. ;-)
by Beth on October 29, 2008 at 1:09 pm. #
Amen and amen. Trusting = Good. Getting screwed = NOT.
Would voodoo dolls help?
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by Rebecca - That Girl from Brazil on October 29, 2008 at 3:03 pm. #
Aaarrgghh! I hate it when things like this happen! I too hope the time is up soon, and they can kick them out.
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by Thora on October 29, 2008 at 4:19 pm. #
I am honest to a fault, so I hate it when stuff like this happens too. He’ll get his comeuppance.
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by Erin on October 29, 2008 at 4:30 pm. #
All I can say about that is: I share your sentiments completely. Who do people think they are?
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by Steph @ Diapers and Divinity on October 29, 2008 at 7:13 pm. #
That is no fun at all! I hope they get things worked out, and that the tennant doesn’t damage their house…
Did I miss that Niel was the one that married them before?
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by Heffalump on October 29, 2008 at 8:13 pm. #
My Dad has rentals. Renters can definitely bring out the anger and frustration cards! And the eviction process is the pits. I so feel for you, and the newlyweds. I’m not even involved and it makes me angry!
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by Jen on October 29, 2008 at 9:36 pm. #
I’m amazed at how we try so hard to be honest and get laughed at for it. It’s a bit frustrating. I also don’t understand how people can be such idiots. Where do they get the idea that life is theirs however they want it.
Argh.
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by Eowyn on October 30, 2008 at 8:50 am. #
I have such a hard time reining myself in when I confront situations like that. We’re loosely connected to a maddening one right now, and I have to keep taking deep breaths. Here’s something funny, though: Our old realtor, whenever she had to deal with someone particularly nasty, would make little tissue-paper dolls representing these people and put them in her freezer! She said then she could just let it go. But the picture of this highly professional woman making these little tissue-paper voodoo dolls and storing them in her kitchen freezer? Hilarious.
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by charrette on October 30, 2008 at 10:55 am. #
i was just thinking this morning in the shower about how unfashionable it is these days to be chaste. to be modest. to be in favor of traditional marriage. now i need to add integrity to the list. sigh.
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by michal on October 30, 2008 at 5:16 pm. #
I really don’t understand the world owes me a living kind of attitude. But I’m a big believer in karma. Eventually those people will get exactly what they deserve.
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by Alison Wonderland on November 1, 2008 at 2:00 am. #
I personally find your honesty … and good anger … refreshing. More people in this world need to be like Kim!
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by An Ordinary Mom on November 4, 2008 at 3:17 pm. #
[...] disturbing of the lot (of course), my Granny and her new husband John will be arriving shortly. The tennant I blogged about last week is apparently doing something upstairs that has my Granny afraid for her [...]
by They Come in Threes - Temporary? Insanity on November 5, 2008 at 11:11 pm. #
I thought I’d commented on this one Kim buti gone or I did something weird. Anyway, I’m so sorry. I popped back to reread and it made me mad all over again. Some people are just vile. :(
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by Jo Beaufoix on November 6, 2008 at 3:27 am. #
I wonder if they can do small claims court once the notice of eviction is up. That’s not cool. I’m very similar on the moral compass, and you just put into words what I’ve always felt, but never had the words for. Thank you. :)
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by Jaina on November 6, 2008 at 4:52 pm. #