Wednesday, October 3, 2007

Language and its explicit and implicit messages

Exhibit A-the dreadful telephone call of 10-1-07 from our landlord
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Ring, ring---

Clint: Hello?

Chuck: Hi, Clint. This is Chuck, your landlord.

Clint: Oh, hi! I haven’t heard from you in a while. How was your trip out east?

Chuck: Well, Clint, I’m going to be selling the house I’m renting you. I just wanted to let you know (that you and your family are soon going to be out on the street or paying some exorbitant amount for a cramped, older, falling-part place in a bad neighborhood with a new baby and a two year-old).

Clint: (Whooah! Did he say..?) You…what?

(silence on both ends of the line)

Chuck: I wanted to thank you for being such a wonderful tenant. If everyone was like you, I’d probably still keep the houses I’m renting.

Clint: Oh well, that’s nice of you to say (but how does that help me today, buddy?! You wanna see NOT nice?! I can show you NOT nice, too.) I really appreciate you, as well. You’ve always been prompt to return our calls and you fix anything that’s broken within a few days. (How about fixing THIS and just giving us your freakin' house, Chuck? Huh!? How ‘bout THAT?)

Chuck: Don't worry--I’ll give you 30 days notice once I talk to my realtor.

Clint: 30 days? (How generous is THAT?!) Chuck, that’s not much time (to pack up our entire existence and drive away from the million things we love about this house, this neighborhood and this area). We’re going to need at least 3 months to be able to find a place and move out. What can you do for us? (Help a brutha out, here!!!)

Chuck: I’ll talk to the realtor, Clint. I’ll do what I can. I just wanted to let you know. (Now leave me alone. I’ve done my good deed today. “Into every life…”).

Clint: OK. Well, thanks for being straightforward with us about it. I’m sure it’s in your best interest (diametrically opposed to OURS, of course!) I wonder--would you be open to a rent-to-own scenario? I think we could both win here.

Chuck: No, no. I don’t think so, I just need to get these houses of mine out from underneath me. That’s all. Have a good day. (Of my numerous headaches, you are my favorite).

---Click---

Into every life, a little rain…At least I’ve got a job. No house, apparently, but a job.

4 comments:

Andrew Scott said...

dude clint! im so sorry about this! my parents are leaving for slovakia early january for 5 months. if youd be ineteredted in staying at my house i can talk to my parents. we're looking for people to care for teh house,and have found no one. myabe this would work for you. i dunno. but if theres anything i can do, just lemme know! you'll be in my prayers and thoughts.

Andrew

The Family W said...

Man that really stinks!

Maybe- we could move our two families in together... Wouldn't that be a hoot, I'll start looking for a bigger house :-)
Take it easy, and remember as Bill Murray said in Groundhog Day "Doooon't Driiiive AAAAngry"

Pat said...

Sad day--until I got the update last night. More time means new direction. Cheers for answered prayers!!

Pat said...

Definitely not the compassionate way a Texas landlord would handle the situation. At least they would bring a loaf of bread to "break the news". MOM