o you remember renting your first ever place? Remember the cranky Body Corporate? I never knew who they were. All I knew was that they had a special plaque on the letterbox where all their mail went and they made silly rules. Rules like no parties, no loud music and no talking in the hallways. How silly.
They were somewhat mysterious. I never saw them but I felt them. I felt them watching us through their windows. I felt them listening through the floorboards. I waited, with baited breathe, for the knock on the door to tell me to turn my music down. They didn’t knock, but left a note in the letterbox instead.
Now I’m like the cranky Body Corporate. I don’t know how it happened. But it happened.
Last week someone dropped a coffee {soy latte, 3 sugars – I know so because it was written on the cup} at the front door to our building. As I walked in it was still steaming so I assumed that the coffee-dropper would be back any moment to clean it up. They didn’t.
Three hours later I walked past again and noticed it still there. I wasn’t mad that it was spilt coffee. I was mad because it represented a whole lot of disrespect. It’s a shared space. It should be respected. Right?
So I decided to do a Find The Coffee-Spiller Door Knock Appeal. That’s right. I knocked on doors to find out who spilt the coffee {or latte}.
I heard lots of: I saw it, but it wasn’t me. But no one owned up.
I know at this point I’m losing respect from you here. Heck, I’ve lost all respect for myself. I have two books titled: Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff. And here I am sweating the VERY small stuff.
That coffee cup stayed there for almost 24 hours. Hubby decided we should leave it and see what happens. What happened was that the cleaner came and cleaned it up. That’s what happened.
So the next day I’m at the local cafe {the same one the coffee was from} and I’m ordering some food. I run into a guy that owns an apartment in our building. We chat for a while. He asks what I think about where we live. I tell him: I really love it. It’s perfect for our family. Sometimes people don’t care enough, and that gets me down. But I get over it.
His eyes widened as if asking for more details. So I tell him about the spilt coffee. He gasps in disbelief.
My order is up so I grab the bag to go, and put Lacey on my hip. I can’t help but overhear my friend order a coffee as I walk out the door. He gets a soy latte with 3 sugars to go. I can’t help but laugh to myself. And I keep on walking. And I eventually get over it.
Image: Lee Jordan.
oh good grief! You were sweating the small stuff but what a turd of a thing to do! I don't drink coffee so I would probably would've been as annoyed as you were truth be told… I'd be daydreaming about putting billboards up with 'the person who drinks soy lattes with three sugars will be charged an extra $20 defoulment fee in their body corporate fees this quarter'. lol.
PS how funny my word verification for this comment is 'untea'lol
i probably would have reacted the same way. its annoying enough to see people litter let alone spill coffee in a doorway and leave it. when i was working at the ice cream shop – someone – no idea who as we were flat out – dropped their ice cream in the shop. didnt tell anyone but resulted in the shop being very dirty with footprints and the ice cream walked up and down.
someone who was ordering told us. just to let us know.
he should have cleaned it up himself.
Nobody wants to live in a crappy home. Even those people who do live in crappy homes.
And when your home is full of shared space, you want everyone you share it with to respect that. I think you've a right to be upset, and corporate body rules are there for a reason.
It's like those “No Ball Games” signs that are often on public housing. When you see them you think “that's a bit harsh”, but once you've been subjected to a bouncing ball for 3 hours when you are trying to enjoy a quiet afternoon, you KNOW why such signs exist.
Oh I am TOTALLY with you on that one! Not small stuff at all. I live in an apartment and it makes me crazy when people show total disrespect for the common areas! I think it is hilarious that you sprung the guy at the end of your story – very serendipitous!!
PS. THREE sugars? Good heavens!
Oh no!! I guess everyone has their flaws don’t they… I bet he doesn’t do it again! But it would have totally annoyed me too, it’s completely disrespectful of all the other people living there and totally grotty!
People who drop rubbish anywhere really annoy me. I have rented some shockers over the years and was actually woken up by the police one morning asking me about my neighbours. Respect when living in the same complex is a must!
I don't know what is worse – that the coffee was left where it would be a slip hazard or the fact that it was actually a soy latte with 3 sugars yuck!
hehehe, that's rather funny!!!
I sweat such small stuff as that as well. I'd have door knocked for HOURS to find the culprit!!!!!!!!
@Liss: That's hilarious! And perhaps a little fate? And don't worry I dreamt of making a sign and saying something about it, but then adding the real crime here is Soy Latter and 3 sugars. People!
@CG: People have no idea! Icecream everywhere is a pain. How easy would it have been to clean it in the first place? Grr.
@Suze2000: OOoh the ball sounds frustrating!
@Natasha: How bad is that? 3 sugars ick!
@Gab: Yeah, everyone else pays the price for someone's laziness. You wouldn't believe, but two days later someone dropped eggs in the same spot. They picked up the shells but left the eggs there. How gross!
@challencharms: Charming neighbours! I wonder what they had been doing?
@chelle: I know. That's the real crime. Gross.
@Alycia: I'm glad there is someone out there like me. You! x
That is a classic! Glad he finally got found out. Its funny because I have a body corporate meeting tomorrow for my unit block. And guess what – I am the secretary! I am the one who puts up those signs! HAHAHAHA