We rarely write of personal issues here on Grub Street, and it has been many months since I reflected on my inability to write the Steinbeck like tale of my apartment block. That anything productive has occurred here over the past year is close to miraculous, but I believe we are turning a new page at last.
The issue has been two of the four ground floor apartments are occupied by drug and alcohol abusers. They have also abused each other and other residents here, as have the constant stream of hangers on, dealers and buyers coming to the block.
In the past few months this behaviour has prompted police visits on an almost daily (or late night quite often) basis. After being physically assaulted in my own place I finally took out an application for a court order. My brother followed suit a few weeks later.
That application was heard yesterday and the offender, faced with a thick submission from the police prosecutor didn’t contest the order. We won, but the toll so far on us didn’t leave much room for celebration, just relief.
That was our immediate neighbour, the next along are smarter as evidenced by their booming drug dealing business. Apart from hurling insults they stayed clear of us so we had no reason to take action against them. Then, on top of yesterdays win, this pair are packing up and moving today.
So my brother and I are looking forward to some peace and thinking space now. Hopefully no more slamming baseball bats into walls at 3 am, no more drunken fights on the driveway, no more abusive invasions. Well maybe I’m being over optimistic, but we live in hope.
I still couldn’t do the story justice, I simply can’t relate to these characters in any way. I just look forward to getting on with life with a slightly less stressed mind and body.
2 comments:
Well, I will toast to your new neighbors, whoever they might be, being far better than the auld ones. Perhaps your bldg needs better applicant vetting. Arguments & violence is so stressful, jeez, no wonder you feel relieved.
There's an old Twilight Zone where life just stops in mid-stride. I think it happened to a man who was always complaining about all the hustle-bustle of life. At first, he was happy, but eventually he got bored & wanted things back the way they were. Me, I'd take the time to move sideways & clear some mental space for myself before resuming the stress.
D.K. I go for the twilight zone :) I'm always happy just pottering in my own head.
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