On Prejudice, Stupidity, and Owning a Hearse
Just a few days ago, on Sunday the 5th, my landlady came pounding angrily on my front door. This is a woman whom I have only met twice in the eight months since I started a two-year lease on her house. Elisa has only met her once.
She demanded that I "explain that!" as she waved an emphatic finger in the direction of my funeral coach, Sarah.
She told me that the neighbourhood association (I wan't even aware that there was one, how do I join?) and other neighbours had complained to her about a hearse in my driveway. She said she didn't believe them and had to drive over to see for herself...!
I asked, all this excitement over a vehicle? "It's not a vehicle, it's a hearse!" she insisted. I told her that a hearse is a vehicle, and she once again corrected me that it most certainly is not. We circumnavigated this "hearse is not a vehicle" routine Abbott and Costello style a few times before I gave up. She found the curtains in the windows particularly disturbing for some reason, "And there are children in the neighbourhood!!!!" she added angrily, as if this should somehow be self-explanatory to me. Uhmm... I was just stunned. And slowly becoming angry myself.
She basically threatened me, to get rid of it or park it somewhere else, ...or else. I explained to her that it's my daily driver, my ONLY car for at least the next few months, and that I purchased it for use in my film and video production side business.
I told her I couldn't, -wouldn't- get rid of it. She strongly warned me to think otherwise, said something along the lines of "That's it, then." and left....
This woman is supposedly a school teacher. I would have thought she'd be a bit more open-minded. I guess it didn't help that I stepped from my home dressed day-to-day goth, although I suppose I'm fortunate that she didn't step inside my house, which looks a bit like the beginnings of a curio museum, with family antiques including a very old piano, a real, old suit of armor, antique dental equipment complete with drills and light on a swing-arm, an ornate catholic kneeler set from a 1920's funeral home, and other oddities... but where's the harm in that? I'm a professional, respected for what I do, make decent money (like that should matter), and I have a son, Genesis, whom I raised mostly myself his first few years and love with all my heart. What's wrong with a little harmless eccentricity?
Now I'm sitting here wondering, can she break the lease because she doesn't "get" the aesthetics of my car? It's mechanically sound. It's not like it's up on blocks, or dead with weeds growing up around and through it. It... SHE's beautiful. Shite.
She demanded that I "explain that!" as she waved an emphatic finger in the direction of my funeral coach, Sarah.
She told me that the neighbourhood association (I wan't even aware that there was one, how do I join?) and other neighbours had complained to her about a hearse in my driveway. She said she didn't believe them and had to drive over to see for herself...!
I asked, all this excitement over a vehicle? "It's not a vehicle, it's a hearse!" she insisted. I told her that a hearse is a vehicle, and she once again corrected me that it most certainly is not. We circumnavigated this "hearse is not a vehicle" routine Abbott and Costello style a few times before I gave up. She found the curtains in the windows particularly disturbing for some reason, "And there are children in the neighbourhood!!!!" she added angrily, as if this should somehow be self-explanatory to me. Uhmm... I was just stunned. And slowly becoming angry myself.
She basically threatened me, to get rid of it or park it somewhere else, ...or else. I explained to her that it's my daily driver, my ONLY car for at least the next few months, and that I purchased it for use in my film and video production side business.
I told her I couldn't, -wouldn't- get rid of it. She strongly warned me to think otherwise, said something along the lines of "That's it, then." and left....
This woman is supposedly a school teacher. I would have thought she'd be a bit more open-minded. I guess it didn't help that I stepped from my home dressed day-to-day goth, although I suppose I'm fortunate that she didn't step inside my house, which looks a bit like the beginnings of a curio museum, with family antiques including a very old piano, a real, old suit of armor, antique dental equipment complete with drills and light on a swing-arm, an ornate catholic kneeler set from a 1920's funeral home, and other oddities... but where's the harm in that? I'm a professional, respected for what I do, make decent money (like that should matter), and I have a son, Genesis, whom I raised mostly myself his first few years and love with all my heart. What's wrong with a little harmless eccentricity?
Now I'm sitting here wondering, can she break the lease because she doesn't "get" the aesthetics of my car? It's mechanically sound. It's not like it's up on blocks, or dead with weeds growing up around and through it. It... SHE's beautiful. Shite.