Friday, June 16, 2006

Shady corner of the street

I live on a beautiful street. With some of the nicest houses in the 'Burg situated on it, people will make it their destination on their strolls.
That said, there are also a few very sketchy buildings that bask in the shade of the decrepit tannery. One of these such buildings, the sketchiest of all sketch, is just two doors down and across a laneway. It's a big old house that if restored (and a porch added and landscaped) would be one of the most lovely places to see... but right now, it's been retrofitted to house seven tiny apartments, most of the tenants are really nice... (have you ever met friendly downtown mike? He lives there) But then there's that guy.
You know the one? With the sunken cheekbones, the long stringy hair? The windbreaker jacket and the baseball cap? Speedwalking to the beer store with some young (too young) girl in tow- in leggings and a tube top? You know the one?
He lives there... Now, I HATE stereotypes... But this guy IS the stereotype. I get nervous walking past him at night. I'm sure he's a decent person... But I am still nervous.
The cops visit his place often. They drive past daily. They question him whenever he's outside. Apparently this has my nextdoor neighbour in tears. She has two small children, and the combination of the noise from his place and the cops stopping by is too much.... Or so says my landlord. I believe it.
So last night I'm out on the step talking to my landlord, she's QUITE upset about a variety of things that are happening in her life, and she's not one to keep those sort of things inside.. It effects how she approaches everything and everyone. As we're talking, skinny sketchy begins to walk past our house, young tube top in tow, my landlord spots them and announces, "I need to have a word with this young man, I told nextdoor woman I would!" I get up to go inside, wanting NOTHING to do with what she has planned. She shouts at me as she marches up to him "Don't you go anywhere, I need you there!" reluctantly I sit back down, hopfully in a place that he won't notice me...
Landlord marches up to sketchy, gets in his face, and in his way and announces loudly "I need to speak to you sir" (not said with any respect) he says "no I'm on my way somewhere" she says "NO I need to speak with you, it needs to happen now!" he replies, "leave me alone lady" (and he's very careful with walking around her).
She then GRABS HIS ARM in attempt to have him face her to talk... Now, this wasn't something that was done as a restraint, this is just the way she talks to people when she's serious, and on more than one occasion I've been tempted to ask her to let go of me!
Sketchy screams at her "LET go of me lady, you can't touch me, you've got nothing on me, you can't touch me, leave me alone, I don't want to talk to you!!!!" LL yells back (as he walks away from her) "You better not cause any more trouble around here! Do you hear me? You leave people alone!!! There won't be anymore of what happened last summer!!!" (which left me wondering.. What did I miss last summer?) Sketchy yells back, a little further down the street by now, "Lady, things have been delt with, don't touch my arm, don't touch me, stay away from me (oh, right, she's now walking after him, but only to the edge of our property) Things have been cleared up with the police, I'm clean" LL (overtop of him) "You're a drug dealer!!!!" Sketchy "NO I"M NOT get away lady", "I'll call the cops!" "I'm clear, they have nothing" "get back here!" "you touch me again lady! Don't touch my arm, don't touch me!" "I'll touch you again... I'll grab your arm if I have to!".... "Don't threaten me lady"....He's now far enough away that they both finally feel stupid for screaming down the street and they stop... LL marches back up to me quite heated and upset....
she says loudly enough for him to hear "THAT man is dealing CRYSTAL METH to TEENAGERS out of that house"
"you really can't touch him. Or threaten to touch him... Not even on the arm"
"I can't?"
"no... You can't"
"oh".

1 comment:

Susanna said...

Eep! She sounds like quite the person!

Not exactly the best way to handle conflict resolution though...

Funny story! You must have a lot of patience to deal with her.