avatarSoul Unnie

Summary

The author recounts the experience of living with Stephanie, an unreasonable and overly-complaining neighbor.

Abstract

The author and their husband moved into an apartment above Stephanie, who has proven to be a challenging neighbor. Stephanie's behavior includes throwing shoes as a form of protest, sending a barrage of complaints via text, and blaming

Neighbor from Hell — Part One

Living with the worst neighbor ever is like starring in your own daily drama series, except you didn’t audition for the part. My husband and I found ourselves in this unwanted role when we moved into an apartment above Stephanie — a name that now strikes terror into our hearts.

Stephanie, our dear downstairs neighbor, doesn’t just throw shade; she throws shoes. Yes, you heard it right. A few hours into our move, a pair of sneakers came hurtling up towards our ceiling like a scene from a chaotic sitcom. Trying to be the peacemakers, we handed her our phone number, hoping for civilized communication over airborne footwear.

But alas, peace was not on Stephanie’s agenda. She has a knack for complaints, firing off texts faster than a teenager with a new crush. One memorable evening, at a respectable 6 PM, she claimed we were disturbing her while she was trying to commune with the divine — reading the Bible, no less. Now, I’m all for religious devotion, but last I checked, the neighborhood quiet time doesn’t kick in until 9 PM. I had to stifle a chuckle at the irony of being shushed for disturbing a religious moment before the official quiet hours even began.

Stephanie’s complaints range from the ridiculous to the downright absurd. Apparently, using the garbage disposal for a mere twenty seconds is akin to seismic activity, according to her. I’m convinced it takes her longer to type out her grievances than it does for us to commit the alleged offenses. And don’t get me started on the time she accused us of rearranging furniture when all I did was accidentally drop a tumbler.

It’s like living in a game of mood roulette. Sometimes, she’s as quiet as a mouse; other times, she’s a one-woman band of complaints. We’ve become experts at deciphering her moods, wondering if today will be a peaceful day or a stormy one filled with texts of indignation.

To add insult to injury, Stephanie seems to have a conspiracy theory that everything wrong in her apartment is somehow our fault. Clogged sink? Blame the neighbors. Rat problem? Definitely the neighbors’ fault, despite our three vigilant feline guardians. And if her doorbell so much as twitches, you can bet we’ll receive a text asking if we’re paying her an unannounced visit.

Through it all, my husband, bless his patient soul, urges me to “turn the other cheek,” invoking some obscure form of Christian martyrdom. And turn the other cheek we have, for almost three years now. But with our lease nearing its end in May, the prospect of liberation beckons like a beacon of hope. We’re counting down the days until we can bid farewell to Stephanie and her ceaseless complaints, vowing never to live above or below another neighbor again.

They say home is where the heart is, but for me, it’s become a battleground of stress and anxiety. The anticipation of Stephanie’s next complaint hangs over our heads like a dark cloud, turning our sanctuary into a prison cell. Yet, amidst the chaos, there’s a glimmer of humor — a shared joke between my husband and me, a knowing glance that says, “Well, at least we’ll have a good story to tell someday.”

So, as we pack our boxes and prepare to leave this chapter behind, I hold onto the hope that our next home will be more than just walls and a roof — it’ll be a haven of peace, free from the tyranny of a neighbor from hell. And maybe, just maybe, Stephanie will find some peace too, once she realizes that not everything is a conspiracy and sometimes complaints are born out of pure hysteria.

Thanks for reading~! I am very grateful~~!! I’m wishing everyone PEACE, LOVE & JOY~~~!!!

Neighbors
Complaints
Apartments
Home
Relocation
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