When were young, we couldn’t wake to be adults. Now that we’re adults, some of us can’t wait until somebody invents a time machine and we can turn back the clock and be teens again. I’ve been feeling the stresses of being an adult lately. In the mist of trying to get prepared to celebrate my third wedding anniversary (which was Monday), life decided to deal me a few lemons.
It all started on Sunday at 1:28 AM. The kids were in bed sleeping and I was on my way to join them in dream land. The Mr was at work as usual. Just I’m finally drifting off into a peaceful slumber, I hear a crash and the sound of breaking glass. Immediately, I shoot up straight out of bed and hit the panic button our alarm system.
It was not a drill folks, somebody had indeed just busted out our bedroom window where the kiddies and I were sleeping. It all happened so fast. I thought that my heart was going to explode because it was beating so fast. My legs and hands were shaking but in the back in my mind I just kept telling myself to stay calm because I had two kids to protect should the vandal decide to hurl his/her body through the window next.
I gathered up the kids and put them in the living room. Called 911 and the alarm company to make sure that police were on the way. They were. I called my husband at work and told him what happened and the he needed to come home right away. I phoned our landlord and left her voicemail telling her what happened and that we would like to speak to her as soon as possible about getting the window fixed.
During all of this the same vandal launched a huge stone through our neighbors bedroom window as well. Initially, I thought they were trying to break out our kitchen window. At that point I had already armed myself with my trusty steel baseball bat. I had every intention of taking the intruder’s head off when they stuck it through the window. Sadly, they got away before the police came and because the neighbors didn’t have their back porch light on we didn’t get a good luck at who it was.
Now, let me state for the record that we live in a mixed income neighborhood. There are several families, an nice apartment complex and a park in area. Our street is pretty much quiet and everybody is pretty friendly and keeps to themselves. There is a police sub station less than five minutes away. That being said, I believe wholeheartedly that whoever targeted our apartment was not a resident of our neighborhood.
Anyways, you would think that our landlord would immediately call us once she got our voicemail. At the very least, you’d think that she’d want to see if any other damages were caused and to see if we or the neighbors were hurt. Nope. We don’t hear anything from her. Instead, we hear from her nephew who she sends to make sure we have boarded up the window and to tell the neighbors to board up their windows.
Like really?! So, at that point the Mr is pissed off because it’s obvious that she knows what happened but has not tried to reach out to us personally. She decides on Monday. The Mr tells us her that we were not pleased to have not heard from her and asks when she will send someone out to look at the window for repairs?
Y’all guess what her reply was? She had the nerve to tell him that we were responsible for the window and that it was her belief that my husband had broken the window due to us having a dispute! Are you kidding me? I promise you, I can’t make this stuff up. Like lady we’ve seen you all of five times, two of those times my husband was not home. She doesn’t know us well enough to make assumptions about issues within our marriage.
More importantly, if I was having any kind of dispute with my husband, I’m sure I would have told that to the cops and the neighbors would have told it to them as well. Long story short she is refusing to fix the window. And I started to let this bother me and put me in a negative space. I was a little happy when we moved in here because it seemed like she didn’t have any problems with making repairs. However, I see that was clearly a front.
And I don’t do fronts, fakes or phonies! But I kept my cool. You see, my faith is stronger than it was at the beginning of this year. I prayed on it and asked God to not let me moved by the situation because I knew He would work it out for our good. And you know what, He is.
Since, our landlord won’t listen to us or go by the terms of the lease that pretty much state in plain English that she is responsible for all repairs, except in cases of negligence, we decided to get the city involved. They sent out a code inspector today and he assured us that here in QC landlords are responsible for all repairs even in cases of negligence. That’s what security deposits are for. And if damage done under negligence does exceed the amount of the security deposit, they have to take the tenant to small claims court for the difference.
In the words of Tamar Braxton, “Won’t He do it?!!” She now has 60 days to get the window repaired along with some other issues the code inspector found inside and underneath the apartment. This has taught me that I truly don’t have to fight every battle. God is more than willing to step in and send the right resources our way at the right time.
All it takes is maintaining the faith and not allowing yourself to be moved. Life gets hard, but my faith is becoming harder. It’s morphing into an impenetrable force field. I only have one life to live and I will not live it stressing about the hardships that will I encounter along the way.
Laila @OnlyLaila
October 2, 2013 at 8:33 PMOh wow! I'm so sorry to hear that your landlord was giving you grief over this. But glad to hear that the city will make her get her act together. I'm also you glad you and your family are okay!
Nellie @ Brooklyn Active Mama
October 2, 2013 at 11:21 PMOh my goodness!! I am so sorry this happened to you. I would have been terrified. Good for you for being in the right frame of mind to grab that baseball bat and call the authorities. I can't believe the nerve of your landlord! Especially after it happened to a neighbor too!! Like you said, God provides and I sure hope you get that window fixed soon!! Thanks goodness it is not in the dead of winter.
Kita
October 3, 2013 at 2:18 AMSo glad you all are okay and you didn't panic and got the kids to safety. Some people need to take responsibility for their actions and stop blaming others or twisting things around. I have had that happen a few times when dealing with clients. She needs to find out what happened before she makes assumptions because she is dead wrong.
luvlymskrissy
October 3, 2013 at 4:31 PMwow that's a lot. I'm glad everyone was safe.
Anonymous
October 3, 2013 at 4:31 PMwow that's a lot. I'm glad everyone was safe.
K. Elizabeth @ YUMMommy
October 12, 2013 at 6:19 PMIt sucks that it came to the point that we had to get the city involved. At the end of the day, though I'm glad we didn't wait and acted quickly.
K. Elizabeth @ YUMMommy
October 12, 2013 at 6:21 PMThank goodness it's not the dead of winter indeed! We're still waiting on the window to be fixed believe it or not. But a penalty will soon be issued if it's not fixed soon and I think that I fine is what it's going to take to really get some progress.
K. Elizabeth @ YUMMommy
October 12, 2013 at 6:23 PMAgreed! It just makes me frustrated how people will make assumptions without any facts or try to come up with fake excuses to get out of their responsibility. Any professional relationship we had with her has been permanently damaged.
K. Elizabeth @ YUMMommy
October 12, 2013 at 6:23 PMYea, it is a lot. But this is just another bump in the road that we'll get over successfully in time.