Ok, guys, I mentioned this drama on the discord server but with no details at all. Just like three sentences. But you know I feel a responsibility to let you know when something happens that stops production. I usually let you know when I've resolved it (Yes, I'm back on track). It's almost always things like, "Oh, my back hurts," "Oh, there's a lot of office work." But today I'm here to tell you this beautiful story.
I know it's a lot of text, but it's still summarized. Believe it or not, this situation kept me away from the computer for maaaany days and significantly delayed my office work and Patreon work.
Please don't imagine this with the yellow filter because this was more like a Telenovela. Instead picture it with 90's hairstyles, VHS filter and if possible imagine me as a handsome telenovela guy.
I live in a building that's half commercial premises and half residential space. There are five commercial spaces, an apartment on the second floor, and what's left of the house is on the first floor for me.
The woman upstairs was terminally ill with cancer and stopped paying her rent a month ago because she was in the hospital the whole time.
When she died, she left behind a 12-year-old orphan girl. The lady's sisters came to help the girl move and take custody of her.
They asked me for help moving the heavy stuff and asked me to watch some of their things in my garage because it would take them a couple of days to get everything out.
The landlord arrived just in time (he lives in other state) as they were leaving and they handed over the key. They left, and I accompanied him to see the condition they had left the apartment in.
Mind you, the landlord is cheap AF. Mr. Krabs is extremely generous compared to him. I literally don't know anyone who doesn't think the same.
There were some understandable damages due to regular use, but the landlord got angry and immediately came down and told me to bring up the things that were in my garage because he was going to take them as payment.
I told him que se fuera a la verga >:U ("Fuck Off")
Then he told two of the guys from the commercial premises to help him. The guy from the barber and the guy from the tacos, because obviously there would be tacos involved in a Mexican anecdote.
As a side note, it's been exactly a year since the floor tiles in my home office got destroyed due to moisture damage caused by some repairs that that bastard refused to do. The sidewalk is literally in better condition than my office floor. Plus, parts of the ceiling in several rooms are falling down, and when it rains, I have my own personal waterfall. (That's right, that's why I often sleep in the company building)
(Forgot to mention that all the buildings here are made of concrete)
A year ago, I told him that if he couldn't fix it all at once, I'd pay for it and deduct it from my rent. He agreed, but every month he told me not to start yet because "he needs the full rent this month."
Since the upstairs apartment is unoccupied for now, I took advantage of the situation and, with the landlord's permission, ordered repairs that I'm not even responsible for paying for, nor do they belong to the part I rent. However, without those repairs, I wouldn't be able to make the repairs downstairs.
When the landlord wasn't there, the sisters of the deceased woman came over and asked for her things, and I told them what had happened. Oh, boy... I'd never seen anyone so angry since a friend put pins in the teacher's chair in high school.
At this point, I was still neutral. But there were already police involved, complaints, and threats from lawyers. The problem is that both parties were never present at the same time, and I had to act as an intermediary.
I told the landlord a couple of times that I'm neutral and shouldn't get involved in their problems. I'm only interested in solving my own. So I asked him when I could start my repairs, and he basically told me he won't pay for that.
I don't consider myself a wolf in sheep's clothing. More like a honey badger in possum's clothing. And this pendejo found out a few days ago.
From one moment to the next, I went from speaking to him with the utmost respect (in Spanish we have honorifics like the -sama in Japanese) to treating him as if he were my prisoner of war. The next day he arrived, and I responded to his "Good morning" with, "Come here, asshole" and we started my negotiation.
In short, he's breaking several rental laws, and not only am I complying with them all, but I've also provided money and resources for things that aren't my responsibility, I've paid in advance when he needs the money, and I've helped him by making repairs with my own hands. There's not a single thing he can complain about me, and there are many things he doesn't want people to know about.
I'd say this was a conversation, but actually it was more like a monologue because every time he tried to intervene I pointed at his face and told him to STFU when I'm speaking.
I also tried to provoke him with the most arrogant, unbearable, overbearing, cretinous, annoying and rude persona I could craft at the moment. All with a smile and arms crossed. I wanted him to throw the first punch in front of the cameras because you know, #MartialArtsNerd, but he didn't fall into the trap. Sorry, I owe you the action part.
In the end, I told him I'd start the repairs whether he liked it or not, and I'd deduct whatever I spent from the rent myself over the months. With or without his permission. His other option is to kick me out and fix everything at once. And he doesn't have the money. He acknowledged that he did wrong, that if I leave he'll have a hard time and that he needs me to stay longer.
Spoiler: I ain't doing shit with the repairs and I'm moving in a few months but he doesn't know yet.
BTW, I live in that crappy building only because my parents are just a few blocks away and I want to be close if something happens. Only that.
The Important part: More content and polls finally on the way 🤠