Roommate Troubles

Back in January a friend of mine (Zulu) and I were talking and he mentioned that he might want a roommate when his lease expired. I had also considered the same thought. His motivation was to save money because he wanted to be able to buy another car. My motivation stemmed wanting to stop wasting money. I travel a lot and am never at home, so why not get a roommate to cut my cost.

Well in late May, we got an apartment together. When we moved in we agreed to a few things.

1. You and your guest would use your bathroom only.

2. I would not be responsible in any way for his dog.

3. All bills will be split in half and paid promptly.

4. The main living area would be kept spotless. This includes the Living/dining room and kitchen.

The first few days were fine. But then I came home one day and he was putting a deadbolt on his bathroom door. I asked him about it and he said that it was to keep people out of his bedroom when he wasn't there. He suggested that I do the same. I told him that I shouldn't have to do that. Then I just shook my head and walked off.

Well you would know that within one week, he broke one of the rules. One of his guest used my bathroom to take a dump. Mind you that my bathroom is in the hall. Zulu's is in his room. When I saw dude come out of my bathroom, I got mad as hell. Why the hell would he come out of Zulu's room to come down the hall to use mine? Of course when Zulu awakened, I mentioned this to him (in front of his company). He apologized and I think dude got the picture.

Then a few weeks ago, I came home from a trip and looked in my shower. There was a bar of soap there that I would never use (Irish Spring only for me). I mentioned this to Zulu and he said that he had to take a shower in by bathroom because his company was using his. I went off of course. Why the fuck couldn't he wait till his company was finished. After I finished cursing, he apologized and I let it go.

I came home last week and there was another bar of soap in my bathroom. This time on the sink. I called his ass at work and went off again. He swore that no one had been in my bathroom. When he got home, I showed him the evidence. The soap and the fact that my allergy medicine had been moved. He said that maybe the maintenance man had done it when he came in to fix the toilet. I asked him to tell me if stupid was printed on my T-shirt and told him to stay the fuck out of my bathroom.

I am putting a lock on my bathroom and bedroom doors when I get home tomorrow. That should solve that problem.

Now, the other problem is that he keeps locking me out of the house. We have 2 deadbolts. One that can be locked and unlocked from either side. And we have another that can only be operated from the inside. There have been six instances where he has locked the inside lock and locked me out. The first four times, I didn't say anything. But the 5th time, I went the fuck off and called him dumb a few times. He screamed back an excuse that he is use to living by himself. I told him that after a month and a half, he should be use to living with me. I also told him that I am gonna start locking his stupid ass out. But instead, I am gonna take the lock off the door. I don't give a fuck if he gets upset.

Then his televsion in the living room got struck by lightening. He tried to blame me because I was at home. I told him to take a look at all of my shit and notice that it's all connected to surge proteectors. That's what smart people do. And they have insurance. I am filing a claim on the television and may not give him anything.

I came home on Monday night and there was a brand new 42in wide screen television in the living room. I was taken aback. How the hell can he afford this but can't afford to get his car fixed? Now he has borrowed my car twice in the last month and a half. He can't drive his because his 1988 bucket needs a radiator. The next time he needs to borrow my car, i'll tell him to drive his television.

The phone bill and cable bill are in his name and he won't tell me how much they are. So guess what? I'm not paying either one of them until I see a bill. And I am not paying any late fees.

Now I know that it may sound like we don't get along, but we do. We hang out, have intelligent conversations, and even cook for each other. But it's just these things that he does that get on my nerves. I will sit and talk to him when I get home. I hope that this talk solves a few issues because I can't get out of this lease without paying $3000.

But now, I wish that I had stayed living alone. It was so much easier.