Well this has been a hellacious week. From trying to renew my driver’s license, having what little food I have unknowing shared, losing internet, usual madcap at work, to more roommate issues. On my way out the door we usually converse for a short time till I have to leave. Last night I go downstairs and talk to Arnold and Jessica on my way out. Tell them about the license issues (we don’t get to talk or see each other much since I work nights and sleep days) and Arnold interrupts me to ask if I was able to cash my paycheck. I say yes.
“Well, rent??????” he asks. Ok he didn’t ask, it was demanding, pissy, attitudinal, rude, and a few other descriptive terms.
“I got it.” I respond as I walk out the door. He has no right to come at me about money. I give my share of rent to Jessica. Not him. He does not work. He does not pay the bills. She and I do. I wonder if he took that tone with his couch crashing buddy, James who is allegedly paid up thru the end of the month. Well it’s the end of the month. With three people paying the bills the mine and her share should have decreased. Well I sure as hell didn’t see a decrease this month. Of course I am not even sure that James is even working now. Suppose I could ask Jessica before I go to work this afternoon. Or do I even want to bother. Not like I have a say in what goes on here. I wasn’t even consulted before James started staying here. The last “friend” Arnold let stay here was a thief and stole things from all of us.
I pay my share. If I have a few extra bucks (as rare as that is) and they ask because they need cigarettes or diapers for their kid I give it to them. Need some gas money, toilet paper, or cat food. OK. Need a free baby sitter? Sure. Depending on my hours which flex A LOT I might be a bit short but it’s never over $20, and I make it up the next week. (I get paid weekly and it’s just easier than trying to save up till the end of the month) I know that they use what I pay them for food, smokes, and who knows what. As long as she has enough to cut the landlord a check each month and pay the bills I do not question it.
They have become way too dependent on me giving them money every week. I could start hanging onto it and pay them at the beginning of each month and demand itemized receipts. I feel like a guest in my own house. I feel trapped in my room. They have basically taken over every other space here. We had discussed moving at the beginning of this year. She was denied for the place she wanted and the foreclosure I have from several years ago made the apartment complex where I wanted to live “nervous”. A foreclosure? In this economy? ( It’s pretty common to have one now, which is a sad state of affairs) so needless to say I was denied and out of time since we needed to give the landlord notice one way or the other. So doomed to be here another year, unless something drastic happens. Like, perhaps, I get the winning lottery ticket or something grand to that effect. Now if I only have a rich uncle that I have never heard of up and die and leave everything to his favorite niece, little ole me……. But with my luck that is quite unlikely.
-Jezebelle Lee Compton
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