You know those mornings when you wake up and you've gotten horrible sleep, but you know you have to make it a good day because there is a lot going on? I had one of those mornings. A good friend is moving this morning, I have a choir concert and homework to get done. It would be horrid day if I was in a bad mood. So I picked up my chin and said to myself "Self, it's going to be a good day. Okay?" Which makes this story even the stranger.
A good friend of mine's husband had received a transfer for work and they were moving. Today was the last day of their lease and Weston and I went to help. Things were going well, moving along quickly because they were SUPER prepared for us (which is a good example for me when we move in August.) They were expert movers as well, so we had almost all the big, heavy, bulky stuff out of the apartment when "the incident" went down.
Weston and I were moving a very heavy tub of kitchen stuff when a man from the apartment below my friend bursts, and I do mean bursts, out of his apartment SCREAMING at us. At first I thought it was a joke, like how friend will act angry in jest with a big smile on his face. But as soon as he pulled the f word out, I knew he was not joking. He's screaming things like "I'm so done with this sh*t, this is f***ing ridiculous. You people are so f***ing loud! I'm trying to sleep and you do this all the f***ing time!!" And other completely inappropriate things. I was shocked out of my momentary stun, and shot back.
"You're language is uncalled for. We are moving our friends, what do you want us to do?" He just kept screaming and cussing at us.
"Do you want me to call the police?" I asked him, thinking that if I threatened that, that it would calm him down. Nope.
"Go ahead, I'm recording all of this so you can't say that I threatened you."
Which gives us a clue to our morning antagonist. Either 1) He had the forethought to turn on the recording device on his phone because he knew he would come off as very threatening and aggressive, or 2) he has done this before and people have accused him of threatening them. In either case he came into this confrontation prepared. Being the good mom that I am, I knew that if I had threatened something I had to follow through because the child, or in this case man, would know that I have empty threats if I didn't.
I called 9-1-1.
Just as I got on the phone, someone from Concept Property Management (the management company of the apartments) happened to be there and came over to talk to the man who came out screaming. But I was already on the phone with the police, so I continued the call. Gave them all the info they needed, including a description of the man who was yelling at us and they said they'd send someone out to us. In the mean time, the man did in fact calm down, and went back into his apartment, giving us a nasty look for good measure.
By the time the cops came, everything was calmed down and over. They were very nice and explained that people are going to express themselves how they will and that there wasn't much they could do. Especially because the man did answer the door when they went to his apartment. I shake my head at that cowardly act. He knew who was going to be on his doorstep, and he couldn't answer the door even though he was the one to say "go ahead".
I wanted this on record because I wanted there to be a Domestic Disturbance reported, so at least there is a record somewhere. I've learned that even if the best thing to do is walk away and let it go, if everyone does that to someone like this, the person gets away with verbally abusing others. Or the person gets away with sexually harassing others, or stealing from others etc . . . I'm also going to officially complaining about this man to the property management company. I know that in the long run, nothing will probably happen to the man, and I'll go on with my life, like I already have. But it is a hope that maybe, if he does this again, because there is a record of it, the authorities (management, cops, whoever) will be able to do something.
When I woke up this morning, I didn't think I was going to call the cops. But I did. Every day is filled with possibilities!!
