ressentiment in Blok D

I had hoped that I would have a week of peace.  After all, I had agreed with the head cleaning lady that I would clean the room myself, and so they need not disturb me.

But this morning at 9:30, someone was pounding furiously on the door.  Note well: they were not knocking.  They were pounding.  And, as I ignored the pounding, the noise only got louder.

Now, generally speaking, that sounds like aggressive behavior.  Maybe you think it was the police?  Or a neighbor was going to complain about the noise I was making?

Well, no, it was the manager of the place where I live.  She wanted to know when I was moving out.

Of course, she did not put it so directly.  Moreover, she had a bureaucratic explanation:  This hotel (ha ha ha) is only for short term occupancy.

Well, as a matter of fact, I am planning to move out.  However, that's not good enough.  She wants to know when,

She did, however, offer another apartment for me in yet another "Blok". Well, I don't think I will be taking this generous offer.  (I may be a nuisance, but, at least my money is good.)

In fact, the bossy manager was accompanied by another woman. (Why she was there I cannot imagine as she remained quiet through the whole thing.)

But the other woman was a woman to whom I had complained that the bossy manager and I did not communicate well.  And, I also complained about the price I am paying.

Now, as a matter of fact, this second woman took my money when I paid this month's rent, and whilst she gave me a computer-generated document, it actually wasn't a proper bill.  It had the amount I paid, but it did not actually specify what I had paid for---how many nights, at what rate. 

So, that sort of un-professionalism is what I expect.  Just like banging on my door at nine-thirty in the morning didn't really surprise me.

I have no doubt in my mind what really happened.  The bossy manager is mad at me.  She resents my very presence.

Moreover, she's got permanent employees---the cleaning staff--who I have upset, and she'd like to tell them that she got rid of me.

As I've written before, this apartment is adequate.  (But, now that I look around, it does have some weird features----such as a cabinet with glasses and glass doors, evidently designed to allow me to entertain guests with hard liquour.  Which is a bit odd considering that such entertaining is not exactly encouraged by the stern ladies (well, one is considerably less stern, and another has shown signs of life) who guard the front door. (Protecting us from who exactly?  I'd like to ask....)

Moreover, while this small apartment is clean and freshly painted, it's not really adequate as a workplace----and I do work at home.  There is a small table in the kitchen, but it's not really a good place to work.  My books are all in the bedroom.

Well, as the bossy manager left, she seemed to nod with satisfaction to her assistant----as if to say, "\well, that took care of him".

Her demand is actually quite odd.  She wants me to tell her exactly when I am leaving.  But, then I did tell her that I was looking for an apartment.  Wouldn't that mean I shall leave as soon as I find an apartment?  And wouldn't that mean that I am unable to specify a definite date until I've found a place?

Well, at the very least I can assure her that I won't be here on 1 January 2013. And I have no doubt that she will share this information with the cleaning ladies, who will wag their tongues with delight at the thought that they can continue to shout up and down the hall and slam doors without having a naughty foreigner complain.

Odd how she demanded that I inform her.....Demanded......

Well, she did apologize for pounding madly on my door.  But, somehow, as I think about the force and aggression which seemed to be expressed by her pounding, I don't really believe that apology was anything more than a diplomatic ploy.

Oh, I shall be glad to move out of this place!