Yesterday was our first day with our new place, and we've both been looking forward to getting there. As I've said, we're ready to establish ourselves in the big city, and we're tired of staying in the home of Nicole's parents. We're ready for our own place. Still, it will take a week or so, before we're ready to take occupancy. Furniture has to be delivered and whatnot. Yesterday, we were just trying to drop off a few of our posessions.
But there was a serious winter storm yesterday. The library was closed. Other places were closed. When I got back from the coffeehouse, I said we shouldn't go, but Nicole said we would be OK if we took surface streets. Not being from here and not having heard a weather report, I deferred to her.
Once on the road, I tuned in the CBC to find news reports about the storm. Over 200 traffic accidents in the city that day. We saw several flashing ambulances out and about. This was no day to be on the road.
An hour and a half later, we arrived only to find the prior tenant had not moved out. He was in the process of moving out. Forunately, Nicole stayed in the van, and I talked to the landlord and the tenant. I told the landlord that the tenant would need to pay for the day's rent, which he did. They offered to let us drop off our stuff, but fortunately, I had the good sense to decline. Undoubtedly, his hired movers would have loaded our stuff into their truck and taken off with it.
I say it's good that Nicole stayed in the van, because once I returned and explained the situation, she was really upset. Very upset. I think our moving into our own nice place represents the first tangible step in moving past the difficulties of the last year. She was looking forward to moving; she's done most of the work to get us ready. At the very least, she was upset that the landlord hadn't called to tell us the situation.
I found myself in the strange position of consoling her after spending the latter part of the drive irritated that we'd come out in the first place. Upon further consideration, I began to understand why our landlord hadn't called and other things that were said at the apartment. I mean, the landlord should have called us, but I beieve I understand why she didn't. Two hours later, we returned to Oakville, four hours I'll never get back. I told Nicole in the future we'll laugh about this, but she wasn't laughing. Neither was I.
In his Divine Comedy, Dante portrayed the inner ring of hell as a freezing place. I'm here to tell you he was correct.
4 comments:
I feel so much better now, thanks
um, so why didn't the landlord call you?
Dr. Matt in between parades
First, let me say the first comment up there is from Nicole, and we've since made amends.
As far as our landlord's not calling, I think there were several factors coming together.
First, Nicole had told her we would be there between noon and 1 just to drop off a few things. We weren't moving in that day, and the landlord knew that. After piecing together bits of conversation, I realized that once the old tenant realized he couldn't get out the day before, he promised the landlord he'd be out by 7 am. When the terrible weather kicked in, his mover was delayed. Now, I realize the landlord probably assumed that, due to the weather, we wouldn't be coming and that, even if we did, we could just drop off our stuff anyway. She should have called, though. I'm not trying to make excuses, just understand how it happened.
I miss the Mardi Gras, I can promise you that.
From a rap I composed some twenty years ago:
Hell is frosty not flaming
You know Dante would agree
It may be concave and round
But it's not my cup of tea
Good luck!
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