Near the end of October, I noticed an increase in activity in the Nepali tenants’ apartment. More and more footsteps walking over my head… 10pm, 11pm, even at midnight. The worst was when they had kids running back and forth… living underneath that loud pounding with all the issues going on in my head and lack of sleep was driving me crazy. After the 3rd day, I had enough. I texted the old tenant Naresh, the one who recommended them, letting him know that I’d like him to look for new tenants for the apartment. I explained that they make too much noise so I have to throw them out. Later that night, Dharma texted me:
“Hi Ahkenaten. I am really sorry for that. I should have told you that yesterday, today, and tomorrow is my festival. So we have some relatives and kids. I know we definitely disturb you. But we will try not to make noise. Hope you understand us.”
The festival she was referring to was Duwali. The motherfuckers were holding a Duwali festival in a 2 bedroom apartment, drums and all. The celebration continued so I decided to sleep in my car, stewing with anger as I couldn’t wait to throw them out. The very next day, Naresh called me. He said that Dharma and her family were pissed at him. They said that Naresh presented me as a good and understanding landlord, but they now believe that he used them to get out of the place and get their security deposit. The latter really didn’t make sense. When he left, I told him to get the security deposit from them rather than me. That saved time rather than me paying Naresh his security deposit and then getting the money from them. What bothered me was how they felt about the situation. I mean, was I good and understanding in this situation?
Hmm. I wrote this on Friday to give myself time to think. I read back everything I just wrote and… ugh. You know, I really thought I was gonna think back and blame the Nepalis. I really was. Unfortunately, the My Fault Philosophy wins yet again. I had a problem with the them. Instead of going to the tenant and dealing with it directly like a fucking man, I bitched out and complained to the guy that recommended them. That was my first mistake. The second has to do with complaining to Naresh. Let’s do a cause and effect, okay?
Tenant causes problem. Landlord complains to Naresh, the one who recommended them. Tenants feel slighted and get mad at Naresh. Naresh looks bad. Landlord goes to buy property in immigrant neighborhood. Landlord asks for tenants from Naresh. Naresh is unwilling and, even if he were, his word isn’t good enough because tenants have given both he and Landlord a bad name. Landlord loses immigrant connection. Fin.
Just like that. After 6 years of dealing with Naresh and building up trust in the Nepali community, it can all go away thanks to my cowardice. And yes, it was cowardice. A good investor keeps all avenues of potential profit open, especially one that took years to cultivate. It was stupid of me to jump the gun and to assume that they didn’t care. My problem is that I have trouble dealing with people that get me angry. It’s either 0 or 60, with no in-between. I will either get passive aggressive and wait for my chance at revenge, or I’ll go at them full force. I can’t operate this way in business. At the end of next year, rental income will be my sole source of reliable income. Fucking that up would be… well, let’s put it like this: I had better be a damned good trader.
Look, it’s not as if I enjoy living under them. I hate being in that basement, underneath the feet of tenants and getting attacked by bats while my brain plays painful tricks on me. But it’s my choice to live there and save at least $500 a month by not living in one of my apartments. I’m a cheap motherfucker. It’s not their fault that I’m cheap. Dharma and her family are good tenants. They pay their rent on time. After my anger, they stopped bringing kids over except for Dharma’s niece. And when the niece runs around too much, they shut it down quickly. They shovel the snow beautifully, better than Naresh ever did. I steal their heat. Last night I came home to the wonderful smell of curry. These guys are good, and I shouldn’t blame them for living a normal life just because I’m too cheap to get a real dwelling of my own. So I’m smoothing it over…
This is the only act of overt kindness I plan on doing with them. After this, I’m just gonna treat them like normal tenants… the way they should have been treated all long.
P.S.: I read this post again and I’ve gotta clear something up. I said, “A good investor keeps all avenues of potential profit open.” That sounds weird coming from a guy who just quit an easy job at FedEx. Makes me sound like a hypocrite, doesn’t it? Yeah, well fuck you. Last Saturday it was snowing and windy like crazy. Instead of lounging around at home, I could have been at the FedEx dealing with the tough weather and trucks going in and out. So I’ll change my statement. A good investor keeps all VIABLE avenues of potential profit open. That's much better.
“Hi Ahkenaten. I am really sorry for that. I should have told you that yesterday, today, and tomorrow is my festival. So we have some relatives and kids. I know we definitely disturb you. But we will try not to make noise. Hope you understand us.”
The festival she was referring to was Duwali. The motherfuckers were holding a Duwali festival in a 2 bedroom apartment, drums and all. The celebration continued so I decided to sleep in my car, stewing with anger as I couldn’t wait to throw them out. The very next day, Naresh called me. He said that Dharma and her family were pissed at him. They said that Naresh presented me as a good and understanding landlord, but they now believe that he used them to get out of the place and get their security deposit. The latter really didn’t make sense. When he left, I told him to get the security deposit from them rather than me. That saved time rather than me paying Naresh his security deposit and then getting the money from them. What bothered me was how they felt about the situation. I mean, was I good and understanding in this situation?
Hmm. I wrote this on Friday to give myself time to think. I read back everything I just wrote and… ugh. You know, I really thought I was gonna think back and blame the Nepalis. I really was. Unfortunately, the My Fault Philosophy wins yet again. I had a problem with the them. Instead of going to the tenant and dealing with it directly like a fucking man, I bitched out and complained to the guy that recommended them. That was my first mistake. The second has to do with complaining to Naresh. Let’s do a cause and effect, okay?
Tenant causes problem. Landlord complains to Naresh, the one who recommended them. Tenants feel slighted and get mad at Naresh. Naresh looks bad. Landlord goes to buy property in immigrant neighborhood. Landlord asks for tenants from Naresh. Naresh is unwilling and, even if he were, his word isn’t good enough because tenants have given both he and Landlord a bad name. Landlord loses immigrant connection. Fin.
Just like that. After 6 years of dealing with Naresh and building up trust in the Nepali community, it can all go away thanks to my cowardice. And yes, it was cowardice. A good investor keeps all avenues of potential profit open, especially one that took years to cultivate. It was stupid of me to jump the gun and to assume that they didn’t care. My problem is that I have trouble dealing with people that get me angry. It’s either 0 or 60, with no in-between. I will either get passive aggressive and wait for my chance at revenge, or I’ll go at them full force. I can’t operate this way in business. At the end of next year, rental income will be my sole source of reliable income. Fucking that up would be… well, let’s put it like this: I had better be a damned good trader.
Look, it’s not as if I enjoy living under them. I hate being in that basement, underneath the feet of tenants and getting attacked by bats while my brain plays painful tricks on me. But it’s my choice to live there and save at least $500 a month by not living in one of my apartments. I’m a cheap motherfucker. It’s not their fault that I’m cheap. Dharma and her family are good tenants. They pay their rent on time. After my anger, they stopped bringing kids over except for Dharma’s niece. And when the niece runs around too much, they shut it down quickly. They shovel the snow beautifully, better than Naresh ever did. I steal their heat. Last night I came home to the wonderful smell of curry. These guys are good, and I shouldn’t blame them for living a normal life just because I’m too cheap to get a real dwelling of my own. So I’m smoothing it over…
 |
| Big snowstorm in Smalltown last week. After shoveling the driveway and sidewalk, I also brushed the snow off their car. |
This is the only act of overt kindness I plan on doing with them. After this, I’m just gonna treat them like normal tenants… the way they should have been treated all long.
P.S.: I read this post again and I’ve gotta clear something up. I said, “A good investor keeps all avenues of potential profit open.” That sounds weird coming from a guy who just quit an easy job at FedEx. Makes me sound like a hypocrite, doesn’t it? Yeah, well fuck you. Last Saturday it was snowing and windy like crazy. Instead of lounging around at home, I could have been at the FedEx dealing with the tough weather and trucks going in and out. So I’ll change my statement. A good investor keeps all VIABLE avenues of potential profit open. That's much better.
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