Ms. Shirley

Ms. Shirley was none-too-happy on Thursday. I know this because she called--and I am not making this up--nine times between 3:17 and 4:22 p.m., leaving one voice mail on my Alabama phone and one on my Arizona cell. She also sent an e-mail.

When Marty Sunshine came home from work, I warned him not to answer any phone calls from the 205 area code for the remainder of the evening. Apparently she also managed to find my home number as well.

By 4:47, I was toying with responding to her just so Mr. 114, her next door neighbor and my handyman, didn't call or shoot me an e-mail passing along the earful I am sure he has already gotten from Ms. Shirley. Loosing him is much more detrimental to my life than loosing Ms. Shirley.

I haven't listened to the voice mails just yet. But I am guessing she was pretty upset. Her e-mail was half-written, with her using my last name and feigning confusion. She forgot to sign her name and the other Southern niceties were missing too. The gist of the e-mail consisted of her telling me she sent the rent last week. And, did I receive it? If it wasn't the first time she and I went through this particular ditty, I would be more sympathetic.

Eventually I will need to respond to her (and Marty Sunshine thinks it might be wise to do it sooner than later to get our phone to stop ringing). Right now I am still bandying around words like "thief" and "liar." And that doesn't make for anything remotely win-win.

It isn't that I want Ms. Shirley to move. That is, unless the rent check really doesn't come in. I just want her to understand I am not playing the "let's tax the landlord's good nature," game anymore. Heck! Even Ms. Kathy seems to have finally figured that one out!

But, if Ms. Shirley does end up moving, so be it. At least I can get someone else in there who will pay.