Sunday, October 18, 2015

Open House

So! Time went on, one morning, I was sitting on the couch, doing my morning ritual; drinking green tea and updating my gratitude journal, Carly came in and was so frustrated. She told me that she really needs a car and wanted me to give her a ride to a few dealerships to view cars she had been looking at online. I didn't see that coming. I asked her what kind of car she was looking for. This is how she described it, "I want a white car! I really love white.  It my favorite color. Is that weird?" I was like, what's weird is that since your friend's birthday, yellow was your favorite color. Anyway, she went on to describe the car she wants as one with leather seats. She was describing my car but what are you gonna do? I told her to go ahead and get the car she wants. The fck do I care?


She wanted a smaller car with four doors so she could use It for Uber. I was like, you should get the car of your dreams, you already have a job and you have school, you won't have time to uber anyway, why do you care? She was looking at a few mini coopers. She wanted something really cute. I was like, do what you have to, girl! I for one am not crazy about really tall people squeezing themselves in Mini Coopers and Beetles but that's just me. There were also a few Beetles she was looking at. All the cars she was looking at had salvaged engines. I noticed that but didn't say anything because she talks to both her parents everyday, I'm sure she discussed her car shopping with them. If she likes Salvaged cars, then I love them for her! She showed me the cars, they were really cute but the salvage was a red flag for me. I told her to go and test drive them if she wanted to. I didn't know she was that serious about looking for  a car. As we were looking at cars, I noticed that amongst the cars she had bookmarked there were lots of apartments in the Beverly Hills adjacent neighborhoods. I found that rather interesting. There I was struggling to find a place to stay and she was secretly looking for a place as well on the side. Can you say sneaky?


When I saw the apartments, I said something along the lines of, oh so you're looking for an apartment too? She told me that she really didn't like living where she does. She wanted to move closer to her job. Her job is in Beverly Hills, meaning, she was looking for an apartment in Beverly Hills. How is that for interesting? At one point, she suggested I find a two bedroom and share with her. I told her thanks, but no thanks! She asked me for some car buying tips. I asked her why she didn't ask her father considering he is a man and had also just bought a car recently? Plus, he's her father, it's his job. She told me she didn't think her parents would be ok with her buying a used car. I was like, in that case, let them buy you a brand new car!


She talked to a friend of hers that night who warned her against buying salvaged cars. The following day, she brought that dog on computer to me in the living room and invaded my personal space again asked for advice again, The list had gone to zero as all the cars she was looking at had salvaged engines. She had a lot of Toyota Camrys and Nissans on her list. I was like, I thought you were looking for small cars? She told me she really loves Camry's. That's her first preference. Wow! You could've fooled me. I don't know if at 22 I would want to drive that car, again, that's just me. Also, I didn't even have a car at 22, so.


I saw an apartment that I was really interested in in Beverly Hills. The one thing I wasn't crazy about about the place was the fact that it was right by Beverly Hills High school. I wasn't trying to live by a school. Also, they only had street parking. I wanted to have my own spot. I didn't want no first come, first served type parking, where I would have to remember to move my car when there's street sweeping. I had to pursue it though, time was running out. I got the address. Even though they told me that the tenant hadn't moved out yet, I went for a spin in the neighborhood,  I parked outside the apartment, imagined myself living there, walked towards it. The gate was closed, I saw a nice lady parking in front of the apartment in a nice BMW X6.  I approached her and asked her about the apartment advertised, she gave me a phone number. I already had the lady's number, I had talked to her, she told me that she was going to let me know when the tenant moved out so I could go view the place. The agent had actually told me that she would see if I could go view the place when she does her final walk through, that way I was going to see it before everyone else. I thought that was really sweet of her. Maybe that was the place for me after all!


I didn't tell anyone about that place. I didn't want any weird vibes around my dream apartment. One evening, I got an email from the agent, she told me that she was going to be doing the final walk through the following morning between 9:00 and noon. The following morning, I woke up, meditated on the whole idea of getting the place, took a shower and headed to Beverly Hills with all my paperwork and some cash. You never know when you might need cash. Cash is King ;)


I arrived at the place around 10:00. I wasn't under pressure because I knew that I was the only one who was going to view in that time slot. I then called the lady, she wouldn't pick up the phone for sht! I noticed a lot of traffic in and out the gate. There was also very limited street parking that day, which made me suspicious. I walked towards the gate and came across a gentleman who asked if I was also going to view the apartment upstairs. I told him, I was. He told me he couldn't get hold of the lady. Turned out, it was open house! She lied to me! She probably told everyone that they were going to be the only ones there that day. That left a weird taste in my mouth! I am not a big fan of open houses. They don't make me feel good about my chances of getting a place. I felt like I was tricked into an open house situation.


The lady arrived, she called me by name, which was interesting. Maybe she had googled me. Who knows? We went upstairs, the apartment was very small. It was a 500 square foot one bedroom with an interesting setup living room/kitchen room. It had blinds running from either side of the counter. so the stove, fridge and sink are in a straight line and the blinds were against them. I guess when you're done in the kitchen, you close blinds and voila! You have a living room. Basically, it's a kitchen that had blinds making it turn into a living room. It was a very clever way of not making people feel like they are hanging out in the kitchen. The apartment was on the level above street level, some people call that first floor or whatever you call it. In my head, I had always been envisioning my apartment to be on the street level. That wasn't going to be a deal breaker though, the apartment had lots of lighting, which I loved and an ok view.


Thee bedroom was very small, so small, the closet was just outside the bedroom, then bathroom and that was it!  It was really condensed but It would do for a single person. I didn't have intentions to stay single for a long time but I was hoping to meet someone who had his own place, so, we could make the apartment work. Besides the school situation, it was in a pretty cool area, it had all these big streets around it; Santa Monica Blvd, Pico, Olympic and Wilshire. It's like, it's where all those streets meet. I could use the bus if I wanted to, and go wherever I wanted from that was kind of a plus if I intended not to use my amazing car that I loved. Which would defeat the whole purpose of getting a car, right?


I told the lady that I was interested in the apartment. She gave me application forms. I filled them out (or in, depending which English you speak lol). She wanted $30 application fee. Non refundable. I had to hope that I was going to get the place, that way, I wouldn't have to worry about giving away more application fees. I made copies of all my paperwork and already had bank statement print outs. She wanted the application fee in money order form. Great! I drove around trying to get a money order. Finally, I got it. By then, the lady had gone back to the office. She did agree to meet me back at the apartment.


I headed back to the apartment. As she was taking all my paperwork, the agent, informed me that someone else had already put in an application before me. I don't know when because I was one of the first people to get there that day, clearly, that person got there day before everyone else. Bad taste in mouth anybody? She told me that they were reviewing that person's application and if they were not approved, I was going to be considered. I wanted to die. After everything I went through, I wasn't even first in line! Kill me!


I drove back downtown. Halfway there, I remembered, sht! The money order! I didn't take it out of my wallet! Oh Lord! What do I do now? Traffic was starting to get crazy! Do I drive back to Beverly Hills and risk getting stuck in traffic on my way back? There's nothing I hate more than being stuck in traffic when I didn't have to be, like if I was at home all day, then decide to go to the mall in the evening, then get stuck in traffic. It's like are you kidding me? I could have done this three hours ago! Should I head back or call the lady and ask her to still consider me, I would pay her back later? Should I not say anything and wait for her to ask for the money order in case the first person was going to take the apartment after all?

Saturday, October 03, 2015

Thot

By the way, after I locked myself out the second time, I had to do damage control that very night before anyone got back home. Fortunately. I got back home before anyone else, so I went to a few stores to buy stuff to patch what the guy and I did to the door. I found material that was exactly the same color as the door paint color. I didn't even have to paint it afterwards. I just patched it and voila! I was so happy. The thing was only a dollar too!

While Carly was stuck outside, she decided to go to Subway, she bought herself a Sub for dinner over there, went back to the apt to eat. She also checked her mail, it was March, her birth month, her best friend mailed her a gift. I got a text from Carly with a picture, it was a picture of a wrapping of her birthday from her friend. Carly wrote: After so many years of friendship, my best friend still doesn't know how to spell my last name; sad! I replied, oh cool! She sent you something? What did you get? She told me she sent her a handbag, she was like, 'I don't know why everyone bought me a handbag this year. I don't even need handbags. My mom bought me a handbag in her style, it's too grown up for me, my best friend, who I expected more from her just sent me a handbag and my friend here, sent me a bandbag as well! This is the worst birthday!' I replied, you're lucky so many people bought your gifts for your birthday! I wasn't feeding into her sht at all. Someone buys you a gift and ships it all the way to you and you wanna complain about how they spelt your last name, are you shitting me? She knows her last name is difficult to spell! So ungrateful! Why not ship the gift back and tell them wrong person?

She sent another text, 'Is it weird that I like the birthday card more than the gift itself?' I replied 'lol'. Didn't I tell this btch I was busy? Why is she blowing up my phone? I thought she didn't like it when people do that to her. Hypocrite much?

She finally went back to school for the rest of her classes that night. That's when I got home. I had gotten into the habit of pretending to be asleep when she got home. I just didn't want to be bothered. She always had some crisis she needed me to solve for her.

In the weeks, I had taken a break from looking for an apartment, I felt like going away for a day trip or the weekend. I had always wanted to go to Malibu, Santa Barbara and Laguna Beach. I wanted to go on a day trip to one of those places. I told Carly that I felt like going away. She told me to totally do it. Next thing I knew, she was on a websites she saw me logged on, she was looking for tickets to go on a day trip. Uhm, Double You Tee Eff? She told me that she had this sudden urge to want to go on a day trip somewhere, she didn't know why. Just like she did me, I told her to totally do it! Either way, I was going to get a break from her, I didn't care if she copied my idea that one time!

She wanted to go hiking for her birthday. Her friend in San Francisco wanted her to visit for her birthday. I had mentioned once that her friendship with that girl was very one sided, it was basically like mine with Carly but I didn't add that part. That girl was doing to Carly what Carly does to me. She always calls with problems. Carly will be on the phone for hours solving that girl's problems. When Carly calls with a situation, that girl is always busy or they will end up talking about that girl. Carly asked the girl to come to LA for Carly's birthday, the girl was like, nah, I'm busy. Next thing, the girl was on vacation in Vegas. When Carly told me that, I was like, didn't she say she was busy with work in San Fran? Now she's in Vegas for an entire week? Anyway, I didn't want to immerse myself in other people's problems. They had been friends, Carly knows what that friendship serves in her life. When Carly asked the girl to come to LA for the birthday, the girl told her that she was over LA, how about Carly go to San Francisco? Carly was like but it's MY birthday, people should come to me not the other way round! I thought to myself, finally, your eyes are opening up, you mole you!

San Francisco was one of the places I wanted to visit. It was in my vision board. I didn't get to go in December, 2014, I definitely had to do it this year. I was in no hurry though. One morning, I got up early,showered and left for union station. I wanted to go to Santa Barbara. Someone had misinformed me regarding ticket prices. It was five times what I thought the fare was going to be. I wasn't willing to part with that much money out of the blue. I decided to go back to Malibu for the day instead. It's much closer. I looked up bus schedule on my phone. The bus left every hour from where I was. I waited on the bus and soon saw it pass on the opposite side. I was waiting on the wrong side. I just took it as that was not the day for me to go to those places. The weather was crazy but I needed to get the heck out of there.

I headed back to the apartment. Carly was up when I got back. Girl, I had left around 7am! I didn't even want to see her face that day! Alas, that wasn't meant to be! She asked where I went looking so dressed up? I told her I was headed out of town for a day trip.

She had planned to go n a hiking trip with her friends on her birthday. Because, that's a thing people want to drive all the way from San Francisco to do in LA, smdh. I was like, your friends must really love you if they are going to go hiking with your on your birthday!She looked at me like I was crazy, I looked at her like she was a model! Not long after that, she started making plans to go out of town. She got tickets, took a few days off and went to her hometown for her birthday. She literally dropped plans she made forever ago of going hiking with her friends for her birthday to go on a trip because I was so serious on going for one. She ended up going on a trip before me.

She left mountain of dishes in the sink. I had stopped cleaning up after her once I started paying. It was the best week without her, I didn't even go away anymore while she was gone! What for? I had the peace of mind I needed.

When she was leaving, she asked me to drop her off at the bus station. I told her I had work, I wasn't going to have time. What? I remember telling her one day that we could have an arrangement where instead of taking Uber, she takes Uber all the time, she doesn't like the bus, she could gas up my car and I could take her where she needed to go, whenever I was around. I wasn't going to make any profit from the whole deal. Quite honestly, I was avoiding being her unpaid chauffeur because some people have a tendency of thinking people's cars run on friendship. I didn't want to have yet another elephant in the room. She couldn't maintain eye contact with me when I came up with that idea. I could tell she wasn't buying it. She wanted free rides or she would rather pay more on Uber, so call Uber then! Right?

She asked me to help carry her luggage downstairs, I was so fed up with all the requests, I wanted to cry. How can one person be such a pain in the ass though? Damn it, man! I couldn't be happier when the Uber driver drove off with her. She was blowing me kisses, I was blowing her away! As far away as possible.

While texting back and forth, on her way, I was like, girl, you're 22 years old and single, you better have a fling while you're in Seattle! She was like, you're right, girl! Let's do it! I'll find someone in Seattle, you find someone in LA, we can exchange stories when I get back! I replied, 'Nah, I'm good, I'll wait till I fall in love'. She texted back that I was right, it's good to first fall in love. I thought to myself, whatever! I've had my fair share of flings.

Halfway in her trip, I got a text from Carly, she was sitting next to the hottest guy on the bus, omg, what should I do, Brook? WHATEVER YOU WANNA DO, CARLY! The fck do I care? You're gone, let me enjoy your absence, don't still be texting me for advice!

They stopped somewhere for refreshments, she told me she wanted to kiss the guy so bad, and asked if that was bad. I told her it was up to her. I was so over it. The guy was sitting on the isle seat opposite Carly, they were both sitting on isle seats. She told me that they had been drinking the guys' alcohol when they were on a layover. She asked me if it would be bad if she asked the guy to sit next to her. She wanted to make out with him. He looked like he wanted to make out with her too. Apparently, she knew him that well. I told her to go ahead if she wanted to be that girl on the bus who is so thirsty she's asking strangers to come closer. Thot anybody?

Apparently, she went ahead and asked the guy, the guy was like, no! They did exchange numbers when she got off. They had a date set for when she was on her way back to LA. She told me that the guy wasn't even her type, he was black and he smoked but there's something about him that she couldn't resist. I thought to myself, how soon she fell in love!

When she got home, she sent me a long ass text about how her life sucks, she went all the way to Seattle for nothing. I mean, the bus ride was 24 hours or something like that. It was long! She told me that her brother wouldn't even give her a hug. She was so excited to see him, she ran towards him with her arms open and he just walked right past her rotfl! They were in public! At the bus station. She told me she was so hurt. I thought to myself, if this girl really texting me this right now? She's with her parents for goodness sakes, fix it amongst family. I don't care! I replied, 'Wow! That sucks!' and went on with my life.

I am going to assume she could see that I wasn't interested in chatting anymore, because the texts slowed down tremendously after that.

On her way back, I got a text that she was looking forward to seeing her new boyfriend from the bus. He had lent her his jacket that smelled like cigarettes on their first trip, so, of course I called him Jacket, sometimes I'd call him Suede. It was a suede jacket ;)

They had been texting the entire time she was in Seattle, aaahhh, that's why she wasn't texting me any more! Thank goodness for small miracles! She told him how far she was. He was going to take a break from work and drive to the station to meet her. They had a long layover, so it was going to be enough time to go on a date. Or to make out, I don't know what they had in mind.

I got a long ass text about how she hated men, that guy led her on, why is it that it's always the ones you love that will let you down blah blah blah, she was done! Apparently, the guy told her that he was on his way. He told her where he was that moment. She looked up ETA (estimated time of arrival) on google maps and saw that he should be with her in ten minutes. 10...20...30...nothing! She called, he didn't pick up. She waited and waited and waited and then started texting me. I wasn't of much help because I didn't care.

The finally arrived back in LA the following day. She texted me that morning and asked what my plans were, I told her I wasn't sure. I knew she wanted to ask me to pick her up and I wasn't going to do it no matter what. Luckily, I was booked that afternoon. I left early, so that I wasn't there when she got home. I didn't feel like hauling suitcases up five flights of stairs like 12 years a slave. she got home to an empty house. Just what she deserved, She didn't get love from her brother in Seattle and she got nothing but a kitchen full of smelly dishes in her own home. What a life!

I saw her the following day, she told me all about what I had missed out on her life on. She asked what I thought she should do about the guy. I told her she could ask him what happened. I mean what did she stand to lose? There was clearly nothing going on between the two of them. She texted him, he apologised and told her that he got stuck in traffic. She told me that she felt awkward telling him that she had checked traffic in his route and it should've only taken him ten minutes to get to the station. She told me she felt used and violated. I was like, uhm, what?

Turns out they had had phone sex and all while she was in Seattle. Maybe he had promised her things on her way back, that's why she was so ocd, checking him on google etc. I was like, do you really want to be in a relationship with a guy you met on the bus, who you tried to have come sit next with you and refused and then went on to have phone sex with without even knowing him? Clearly  the guy didn't think that much of you! Well, after the apology, they picked up from where they left off. I don't care, good for her, at least she was getting something, no matter what that thing was.

The following guy, the guy told her he was going to be in LA, but ended up standing her up again. Long story short, he asked her to go meet up with him in San Diego; 3 hours or so away by public transport. She asked what I thought of that. I told her to go if she wanted to have sex with him. She was like, no he just wants to see me. I was like, girl, you're so cute!

Anyway, she ended up cutting all ties with him. Life went back to normal. I was back to looking for a place to stay.

I started thinking about that man, Spotty from forever ago, remember him? I told Carly how I was thinking him a lot for some reason. I woke up one morning to a voicemail on my phone. It was him! He told me that he had been thinking about me, he wanted to know what I was doing that weekend. Maybe we could go out some time. I mean, I had relocated to so many states since he and I hooked up. I called him back, we talked for about an hour. It was nice to talk but I wasn't trying to be friends or anything. That ship had sailed. He told me that he had been doing a lot of soul searching and had been making amends with people he had wronged in the past blah. I guess that's where I came in. Nice for him!

It was season for Last Comic standing. I went to a lot of those tapings. So much fun! I got to see Roseanne, the comedian? She looks amazing, she lost a ton of weight. I actually complimented her, she was like, awww, thank you sweetheart! You're so sweet! With that accent of hers. The oldest Wayan Brother is one of the hosts and producers, so hot. 0% body fat and so smart! Wanda Sykes is the executive producer, so she came out and we got to see her in person too. They also have one of the older SNL (Saturday Night Live) guys as hosts. That guy has a lot of fans. I didn't even know who he was until my first day there. His name is Norm Macdonald, you can look him up if you wish.

I got a couple of shirts from Last comic, one was my first night there. They asked who was with their significant other. I pointed at a guy who was sitting next to me. They asked who his spouse was, I pointed at a lady who was sitting on my other side. The audience warm up lady was like, so why are you sitting in between a couple. I told her, that's what I do, split up couples. She asked him to dance for a t shirt for his wife. The guy is as gay as can be. He got up danced so well, and got a t shirt. They asked him what his wife's name was. He told the lady he never met that woman,the woman is Brook's friend, so was the guy. Haha! He chose to give me the t shirt. When he got back, I introduced him to the lady, I was like, meet your wife!

It was a good day, the comediennes who competed were really good. A few weeks or so, I was sitting near the door and they were giving away t shirts. They asked for singers in between scenes or whatever. I told a girl who was sitting next to me that I was going to get one. So many people wanted t shirts, that it became a competition as to who was a better singer. This is Hollywood, people are a really good in arts here. And I'm just a girl from Africa trying to make it in America. I told that girl I was going to get a t-shirt. I had a secret weapon. My Africanness! People were belting out songs better than the likes of Alicia Keys and I wasn't intimidated at all. When it was my turn, I sang the Click song, aka Igqirha lendlela nguqongqothwane. Miriam Makeba's hit. I won the first shirt. It was my size. I put it on immediately and told the girl who was sitting next to me, I TOLD YA SO!

Doing last comic was fun because we always wrapped really late, no traffic at all, it took me 12 minutes flat to get downtown from Universal Studios. The down side was that I used to get home around the same time as Carly. Whenever I got home before her, I would go straight to bed and pretend to be asleep when she got home. She be like, Brook! Brook! BRook! Awww, sleeping? Mhh k!

Believe!

Still stranded outside Carly's, I couldn't even go out the building because I had a night gown on, no shoes, no bra, no nothing! You know how it is! I went to one of the windows on the hallway, sat there and regrouped while I enjoyed the sunrise. I found a nice, pink rubber bracelet written BELIEVE!  I took that as a sign that things would work out in the end as they always do.

I went back to the door with new gusto. I knocked and knocked and knocked, NOTHING! BELIEVE it or not! There was nobody in the hallway, it was so early, I felt so bad that I wasn't even an official resident and I was waking the neighbors up but who wants to sit in the hallway not knowing their future. The longer I was stuck out there, the more I needed to pee. I had to distract myself and not thing about that because there was nowhere I could go pee.

Eventually, I thought to go downstairs just to see if someone could come up with a better idea than  just knocking on the door. I found a kind gentleman about to head out on his bicycle. I asked if he knew the manager's number.I was going to ask for Carly's phone number, then call her and ask her to open. That's hoping her phone wasn't on silent. Also, she screens her calls, there was a high chance she wasn't going to pick up when I called but I had to have faith, and BELIEVE! The kind man called the manager and asked for Carly's number. The manager asked who I was. I told him I was Bee, I didn't want to complicate things more than they already were. Apparently, Carly tried not to disclose that she had a roommate when Bee moved in, management went for inspection and found an entire bed and stuff showing that there was a roommate, they started charging Carly $100 extra per month for having an extra person in her apartment. I didn't want them charging her another additional $100 because of me.

I should've told them, that would teach her not to leave people soaking in their own urine outside when it would only take her a minute to get up and open the door. Come to think of it, Maybe she used that time to go through my stuff while I was out there, because I left everything carelessly on the coffee table, thinking I would be right back. That was the only chance she had with my journal and stuff, she must have been having withdrawal symptoms since  I started hiding my stuff from her.

The manager texted the man Carly's number. We called Carly. She didn't pick up. I left her a voicemail. Nothing! I wasn't going to make the poor man wait there for a diva that was probably never going to get out of bed for a peasant like me. I then asked the Good Samaritan if I could send Carly a text telling her that I was locked out to please let me in. She called as soon as she got the text. I told her I was on my way up. She opened for me. I didn't even want to get to it and be all confrontational and sht. That was just another sign that that was not my home. It was another reminder that I shouldn't relax there. I had to find my own place fast and GTFO (get the fck out).

When she opened, she was like, hey girl, how are you? I  was just like, I was like, I wold be so much better if you didn't ignore me for two hours outside your apartment like some second hand citizen. She was like, 'What do you mean?' I told her I was locked out, I had been knocking for hours! She replied, 'Awwwwww, I didn't hear it! I'm making breakfast, would you like some?' I was like, wow, that's how we're going to end the conversation? I didn't say that but I thought it. Stuff like that causes resentment. It makes you crave an opportunity to get back at a bitch. Doesn't it?

We had to act like there wasn't an elephant in the room. At least I had to act, I think Carly was doing just fine!

One afternoon, I got a missed calls from Bee while in Hollywood, she had locked herself out. It was very easy to get out of Carly's apartment. I was too far and on set, so I couldn't help. For whatever reason, Carly couldn't help either. In fact, I think Bee had forgotten her key at school. She had to drive all the way back, she wanted to get ready for work. She ended up being late.

By the way, the key that I had left inside the apartment, I had cut for myself with my own money. When I first moved in, I had to work with Carly's schedule, which I totally respected. I usually work in Hollywood, she works in Beverly hills and the apartment is downtown. I wouldn't always get hold of her on the phone because she doesn't like it when people blow up her phone, so, sometimes she just ignores everybody's calls. I personally haven't seen her ignore calls when she's around me, but I have had my calls be ignored. Just saying. People forget that when you're around them a lot, you know what their MO (modus operandi or method of operation) is.

One day, she left the key with me. I was going to go to the store while she went to school but I was going to get back before her and had no plans to go anywhere else that day. First thing I did was go to a locksmith and get myself spare keys. What she would do was, she would live her life like she didn't have someone extra in her house who is paying and just go all the way to Beverly Hills without telling me anything and then when  I get out of a show, Carly is at work and can't get to the phone. Or she would send me a text telling me that if I needed the key, she was at work. Meaning, btch, feel free to come get the key all the way in Beverly hills. Good like driving 45 minutes in traffic to come pick up a $1.50 key from me that I could have just cut you a spare of forever ago!  I would then have to drive an hour to her apartment from her job.

Is it me, or is that whole arrangement mean? I did that twice and thought to myself, I can't be doing this. My car is a V8, it's a gas guzzler, I didn't want to find myself resenting my amazing car because I was dealing with a very mean, selfish, diva! So I did what any self respecting human being would do and got myself spare keys. I even got the main door key cut. That took me a while because not all people will do that for you because it's written DO NOT COPY on it. But I found someone. That cost me $5 but it was worth it! I thought to myself that when I move out, I would throw away the keys as far as possible. I was not going to give that girl keys I had worked so hard to get for free. Fck that!

The day I was locked out, when we called the manager, he told me that they don't have spares for Carly's apartment because she locked herself out once, they gave her those keys and told her to return them and she never did. Turns out Carly gave those keys to Bee because she was too cheap to spend $6.50. She works in a restaurant, that's tips to her. Come on!

Anyway, she soon found out that I had my keys because I was no longer blowing up her phone trying to find out where she was when I wanted to go home. She gets home at midnight or sometimes 1 am from work, so there was no way of waiting for her in the car after work. That's why  I had to drive all the way to her job.

One day, it was at noon. I wanted to get my mail, I took the mailbox key, that too was another mission. Carly only had one, she never even made spare for Bee. Bee had been living there for half a year when I got there. I had to have my mail forwarded from my old Vegas address, so I used Carly's address, with her permission. We all had to wait for her to check the mail. So controlling! I asked her to leave the key somewhere in the house in case someone needed something urgently and she wasn't home. She did. I tried to get a spare cut, the guy didn't have the material they use to make that particular key. Bummer!

This one afternoon, I took the mailbox key and then locked the door behind me. I forgot the dog on apartment key! My mind was so focusing on the Mailbox key! Fck! The elevator wasn't working. I didn't want to walk all the way down five flights of stairs and back to get the mailbox key, so I ended up forgetting the door key. Fck it! The thing I wanted had arrived in the mail but how was I going to get back inside? I had to go through the same process again, getting Carly's key. Luckily, this time, I saw a lady in the hallway, she seemed nice. I greeted her, introduced myself and told her what I had just done. She invited me over to her apartment, which was just next door. She offered me something to drink and some pumpkin pie! I know! Talk about hospitality! We called the manager, got Carly's number, texted her and asked for Bee's number. They were both at school, so no hope there. I had a show in an hour and a half and hadn't showered yet.

I had to think fast. The lady let me use her internet. I went on Youtube and searched for ways to break in. None worked. The neighbor was so sweet, she was breaking in with me. Eventually, I was like, let me go downstairs. I didn't have a key, so I couldn't get out of the apartment block, or else I would be locked out of that too. I had my night gown on, a blazer and shoes, go figure. It was quicker to put that on than a bra. I opened the main door and saw a guy leaning by the wall waiting for the bus. I was peeping out just with my head because I didn't want to risk getting locked out. I asked the guy if he could do me a favor. He said yes without even asking me what it was. What an angel! I told him what my situation was, he came all the way up with me, used a knife to chip off part of the door that was in line with the lock. He noticed that that part was not wood, apparently someone had already broken in before and used some other material to patch the thing which made it that much easier for us to re-break in. What a silly system!

The guy let me in in less than ten minutes. I was so happy, I literally jumped up and down for joy. I grabbed my wallet and tried to pay him but he blatantly refused my money. He told me to take that money and fix the door, lmao. I gave him a hug and asked for his number, I wanted to take him out some time. He didn't have a phone. He told me I didn't owe me anything and left. Thank you guy, you saved my life! The lady from next door told me to buy her sweet potato pie as a thank you, so that was our deal.

I took a quick shower and headed for Hollywood. I didn't even tell Carly what happened. Why bother. Bee's response to my text about being locked out was: I'm at school! So clearly I was alone on that one. I still think she thought I was around when she was locked out, maybe she thought I could've done more. Oh well!

The following week, I was booked at Warner Brothers. That didn't last long, so I headed back home. There was so much traffic, I found a 99 cents store in Studio City and went in there to kill time. Best 99 cents store ever! While wandering about their isles, I got a call from Carly. She locked herself out! Buuaaahhhahahahah! Evil laugh - in my head. She was so stressed out, she had two hours to kill, needed to pee and wanted to eat. I told her that I was in Studio City, I didn't even feel bad or try to rush downtown ASAP. If she couldn't get out of bed to open the door, why should I drive in traffic and waste gas to save her ass? She tried to keep me on the phone to kill time, I was like, listen, I'm kind of in the middle of something, can we talk later? I wanted her to feel every minute of being locked out!

Friday, October 02, 2015

Where's Waldo?

By the second week, still staying at  Carly's, I was getting fed up of apartment searching. I had mentioned that if I had financial difficulties, in my new apartment in Beverly Hills, I would use airbnb to find people to stay there temporarily to help me with rent. She asked more about airbnb. Next thing, I knew, she told me she was going to use the couch to airbnb once I moved out. I think she started getting greedy, thinking, why do I have you here staying for free when I could be making money through airbnb that I didn't know about until you mentioned it. 

She told me that, within my first week of moving in, her roommate, Bee, told here that she liked me and I could stay there as long as I wanted to, she had no problem with that. I thought that was sweet. That certainly took the weight off my shoulders. Carly told me that. I thanked her for it and bought them both matching new dresses. Carly wore hers the very next day, she looked so cute in it. I would show you a picture but I don't like to use people's pictures. Anyway, I came up with an idea; because I was tired of apartment hunting, I asked Carly if I could be her first airbnb guest and start paying. She told me she liked the idea, she could use the money to buy new clothes. I had taken her to my favorite spot from Vegas. It turned out there was a branch just down the road from her apartment. She loved it. She bought so much stuff there, they had a gigantic sale. 75% off. I looked for the rest of February but took a break in March. I only looked in the beginning and took a break midway. I reckoned people move out end of beginning of the month anyways. I needed to recharge my batteries. I must say  I never foresaw staying that long at Carly's. I'm grateful for the roof over my head during that time.

I asked her how much she would charge me. She was like, how about $20 per night? I was like, you're gonna charge me a daily rate? I told her I was going to stay the rest of February. I wanted a monthly rate, then we would split it into half. She was like $500. I was like, I can afford any amount you want but can I just say this; Be very careful how you handle this because money is another issue. We think we don't need it but when an opportunity is presented before us where we could make money we didn't even expect, people can get greedy and want to make as much money out of that one opportunity as possible, which can in turn turn things around for them and they can end up losing that entire opportunity. Don't allow yourself to get greedy. Remember that you guys offered for me to stay free of charge as long as I needed. Now you want me to pay $500 per month.

Here's the thing; Rent in that apartment is $950 all inclusive. There are three of us, one of which has the entire bedroom to themselves, the other one has an enclosed space and a full closet, then there's me, a random person, sleeping near the kitchen that smells because the one who locks herself up in the privacy of her room is a slob and I have to pay the most? Why am I paying more than half the entire rent? Her roommate was paying $450, meaning, Carly was going to stay for free and I was taking over her share of the rent. Preposterous! Greed is a dangerous thing my friends! I told her $500 is far less than what I will be paying in BH, I could pay it without contesting it but that would ruin things between us. It would be the elephant in the room. She agreed and ended up charging me $300. Mind you, I still had to pay $100 for parking per month. That would have been $700, If I had agreed to pay the initial $20 per night. She should be grateful I have a conscience because if roles were reversed, she never would've offered to pay. She told me that she was going to take the money and go shopping. I was like, uhm, so you're not going to tel Bee that I'm paying? That's awkward! I will be walking around with a sense of entitlement knowing that I pay rent and she will be looking at me like, check you out walking around here like you're paying but you're not! Carly was like, well, I wasn't going to tell her, she doesn't care, she makes a lot of money. Again, Greed! I told Carly, an extra $300 wasn't going to change her life but it will do wonders for her and her relationship with her roommate, Bee if she split it up with her. It would make Bee see her differently. Considering they didn't even have a relationship. Bee probably can see right through Carly, that's why she's not feeling her very much. In the end, Carly put half of my share into an envelope and gave it to Bee. 

One morning, I woke up in a great mood (as usual!) and went to the hallway to check out the temperature outside the hallway windows. I had my night gown on. As the door slammed behind me I remembered, OH SNAP, I DON'T HAVE THE KEY WITH ME!  I got locked out! Story of my life! Why? Why? Why? I ask with tears in my big blue eyes, why? I continued to check the weather and went back to the door because, I was in a great mood, what could go wrong? Plus, Carly was still home. I didn't have my cell with me, but it's a one bedroom, I'll just knock.

I knocked.... and knocked....... and knocked...... nothing! I grabbed an empty beer bottle I saw in the hallway, I used that to knock. Nothing! I found a pain can lid, I used that to bang on the door. Nada! What? Is this chick still alive?  I didn't get it because I have a very sharp hearing. Not a sense of smell, but hearing. I'm that person who always tells people in the grocery store that their cellphones are ringing in their handbags, when they themselves can't hear them. I couldn't fathom someone banging on the door so loud with all kinds of stuff and still not hearing them. Granted, her bedroom door was closed but still! It probably is really hard to hear someone with the bedroom door closed but when you're the one stuck outside feeling ignored, it's hard to wrap your head around that.

I stood there wondering how long before she woke up or needed to use the restroom or something. Usually, she would get up early and come sit on the couch with me and spy on me. Sometimes, I would get up early, and update my gratitude journal. She would come stand right above me, all 5'10 of her and make small talk while reading what I'm writing. I was not grateful for that! One afternoon, we were walking on Broadway Street, downtown LA; she told me that she decided to do what I told her to; she was going to make some kind of a gratitude journal. I had never told he to do that. She told me that I told her to start all her lines with I'm grateful for.... Only, I never told her that! I have pretty decent memory, I never told that girl that! She told me that she was going to buy a box, write the things she's grateful for in a piece of paper and lock them up in a box because she feels weird just writing them in a book. What if someone finds it and reads them? 

Where is Carly now that I needed her to open the door?

I had been leaving my journal carelessly, amongst my stuff. I thought it was safe there but I noticed that I would find it on top of my stuff, knowing fully well that I had covered it up with either the laptop bag or some items of clothing. That left a bad taste in my mouth. I think that's where she got 'my advice' from. Snooping into my private stuff. That's why she felt paranoid that someone might find hers and read it because she found someone else's and read it. What a damn shame! 

After noticing that someone had been going through my stuff, I started making a concerted effort to hide my journal. Really sad when you live with people you're supposed to trust. I know it wasn't Bee because she is hardly there and she is too busy living her life. She didn't have the time. I spend a lot of time on my computer. Carly started sitting next to me in the morning, when I was so busy applying for jobs or looking for apartments. She would bring her own computer. I really wish she had let me stay in the bedroom where I was going to have privacy, she could then use the living room, because she seemed to like it to much. She didn't seem to need the privacy. I noticed that as we were talking and working on our computers, she wouldn't even hear what I was saying, she was so focused on the websites I was on. Next thing, I knew, she was on the websites I was on. So there we were, sitting next to each other, logged onto the same websites. It was rather psychopathic if you ask me. 

I started logging off other sites when she was around and just staying on Craig's list. I also had a password on my cell, tablet and laptop and I hid my journal. 

One evening, I went to the toilet and left Carly working on her PC on the couch. I didn't close mine because I knew I wold be right back. I was in there for a minute and when I came out, she was engrossed on my computer screen, she didn't even hear me coming out of the bathroom! ...