"You cheat me."
Last Monday, I got in touch with my landlord about taking over my apartment's lease from Jeannie. Both Jeannie and the landlord agreed to this arrangement, so he came by on Tuesday to collect some information from me. He also told me that he would write up the contract for me to sign later in the week.
When he was here that day, Fouad was too, and the landlord stressed the fact that my apartment is only for one person. I assured him that I understood--that Fouad was here because he is my boyfriend, not my roommate, and the landlord seemed satisfied with this information.
On Thursday evening, the landlord sent me a text message to let me know that the contract was ready to be signed, so I figured I would pop upstairs and sign it the following afternoon.
...But the following morning, around 9 AM, there was a knock at my door, and I knew it was the landlord. I was still lying in bed, so I didn't want to get up and answer the door. Of course, the real reason that I chose not to respond to the knocking was because Fouad was there and sleeping. There was no way to hide this fact, so I couldn't let the landlord in.
Sooooo the landlord let himself in. I heard the key turning in the lock, and I buried my head in my pillow, because, obviously, if I couldn't see him, he couldn't see me, right? Yes, I have the mentality of a 9 month old.
I could hear him step inside the apartment, and then there was a pause. "Kate!" he said, and my head shot up. I reacted so quickly that it must've been clear to him that I wasn't really asleep, and that looked even worse. "Come here," he said, so I got out of bed and walked over to him. "Can you please get dressed and come upstairs in ten minutes?" he asked, and I said yes.
I must've paced around my apartment for several minutes before even beginning to change clothes, though, because I knew that I was fucked.
When I went upstairs, the landlord let me inside to his kitchen, sat me down, and said this: "You cheat me." He continued, "You tell me you are one in the apartment, but you are two."
And I tried to explain that Fouad is my boyfriend, and it is quite normal for a boyfriend to spend the occasional night at his girlfriend's.
"Why? He has nowhere to sleep?" was his response, and I really didn't want to go into detail about why Fouad might sleep at my apartment, so I shook my head like I didn't know what to say.
He told me that I would have to pay an extra 2000 crowns (roughly, 100 bucks) if I wanted to stay in the apartment with Fouad, and, at first, I refused and asked if I would have to move out.
The landlord didn't know how to respond to this, because he either didn't understand what I said (those pesky language barriers) or he didn't expect that I would say no. Which means, I might have had the upper hand at this point, but because I was so ashamed and uncomfortable and panicked, I eventually agreed to pay the extra money and signed the lease.
When I returned downstairs, Fouad was pissed and said that I had to move out. Actually, I too felt very violated by the landlord entering the apartment without any prior notice (aside from the knocking), but I figured that he owns the apartment, so he can do as he pleases.
Still, one can imagine the conversation I then had with my overprotective boyfriend about a man unlocking and entering my apartment. When I had finished this and processed what had happened with the landlord (the "cheat" thing is perhaps the worst thing anyone has said to me in years), I was ready to call it a day, and I had only been awake for 30 minutes.
When he was here that day, Fouad was too, and the landlord stressed the fact that my apartment is only for one person. I assured him that I understood--that Fouad was here because he is my boyfriend, not my roommate, and the landlord seemed satisfied with this information.
On Thursday evening, the landlord sent me a text message to let me know that the contract was ready to be signed, so I figured I would pop upstairs and sign it the following afternoon.
...But the following morning, around 9 AM, there was a knock at my door, and I knew it was the landlord. I was still lying in bed, so I didn't want to get up and answer the door. Of course, the real reason that I chose not to respond to the knocking was because Fouad was there and sleeping. There was no way to hide this fact, so I couldn't let the landlord in.
Sooooo the landlord let himself in. I heard the key turning in the lock, and I buried my head in my pillow, because, obviously, if I couldn't see him, he couldn't see me, right? Yes, I have the mentality of a 9 month old.
I could hear him step inside the apartment, and then there was a pause. "Kate!" he said, and my head shot up. I reacted so quickly that it must've been clear to him that I wasn't really asleep, and that looked even worse. "Come here," he said, so I got out of bed and walked over to him. "Can you please get dressed and come upstairs in ten minutes?" he asked, and I said yes.
I must've paced around my apartment for several minutes before even beginning to change clothes, though, because I knew that I was fucked.
When I went upstairs, the landlord let me inside to his kitchen, sat me down, and said this: "You cheat me." He continued, "You tell me you are one in the apartment, but you are two."
And I tried to explain that Fouad is my boyfriend, and it is quite normal for a boyfriend to spend the occasional night at his girlfriend's.
"Why? He has nowhere to sleep?" was his response, and I really didn't want to go into detail about why Fouad might sleep at my apartment, so I shook my head like I didn't know what to say.
He told me that I would have to pay an extra 2000 crowns (roughly, 100 bucks) if I wanted to stay in the apartment with Fouad, and, at first, I refused and asked if I would have to move out.
The landlord didn't know how to respond to this, because he either didn't understand what I said (those pesky language barriers) or he didn't expect that I would say no. Which means, I might have had the upper hand at this point, but because I was so ashamed and uncomfortable and panicked, I eventually agreed to pay the extra money and signed the lease.
When I returned downstairs, Fouad was pissed and said that I had to move out. Actually, I too felt very violated by the landlord entering the apartment without any prior notice (aside from the knocking), but I figured that he owns the apartment, so he can do as he pleases.
Still, one can imagine the conversation I then had with my overprotective boyfriend about a man unlocking and entering my apartment. When I had finished this and processed what had happened with the landlord (the "cheat" thing is perhaps the worst thing anyone has said to me in years), I was ready to call it a day, and I had only been awake for 30 minutes.