My Christmas weekend....

[ikojo]

I have had quite the weekend....

I was supposed to deliver meals with a friend but decided to go visit my siblings instead. The train fare was CHEAP and I hadn't seen them in awhile so I went home instead. Since I could not reach the friend I was supposed to deliver meals with (her phone was busy for a long time) I sent her an e mail.

Seems she didn't open the e mail until it was too late. She called my cell phone and did not reach me. My cell phone does not work where I was since there is no AT&T tower or whatnot in the area (I have a GSM phone and it does not work everywhere, it mainly works in major metropolitan areas). Well, since she could not reach me she FREAKED out. She first tried to call another friend but when his answering machine came on (he and his wife screen their calls using their answering machine) she hung up and did not say anything into the machine. She assumed they had gone out of town for Christmas.

So as I said she FREAKED out big time. She called 911 and told them that she could not contact me and was concerned that I was in my apartment dead or needing medical attention (she made this assumption because my oldest brother died of a heart attack in 2002). So, the fire department people took my lock off my apartment door and went inside looking for me. Well of course I was not there because I was 90 miles away!

She continued to freak out I am sure. She finally got in touch with my friends with the answering machine and was told where I was.

So, now I cannot get into my apartment because the casing that covers the lock and has the key hold is on the floor.

I am supposed to renew my lease at the end of January but worry that with the commotion caused on Christmas they may not allow me to renew my lease. I have been with them for 11 years.

I understand my friend's concern but feel she totally freaked out. She refuses to accept any responsibility for over reacting and says I should have done more to contact her considering we had concrete plans. I did not believe we had concrete plans because I had told her I may not go with her on Thursday as I had planned on doing some intense cleaning until my niece begged me to go home for the long weekend.

So, while I understand and appreciate the concern underneath the freaking out and calling 911, I am still INSTENSELY angry with this friend. She almost did this to another friend about six months ago until I reasoned with her to wait and call this person at work to see if she was there (they were supposed to meet and do something together but one of them had the wrong date and went to work).

Any advice on how I can get over my intense anger. I feel violated knowing that people were in my apartment and I was not there.

Any help is appreciated.

[Kamika]

1. In honor of Beavis and Butthead

hehe.. cool

[Nikia]

2. I never called 911 on a friend

I did pay another person to go over to a friend's house and check on him after he didn't show up or call in for work. I do worry though if a usually reliable friend does not show up where they say they will. I do worry the friend met some disaster, is deathly ill, or has decided to no longer be my friend. Your friend should talk to your landlord for you and apologize for her overreaction to them. Some people do intensely worry about people who they care about. You did send her an email, which should have been sufficient though.

[ikojo]

3. Thanks for your advice...

the problem is that my friend feels she did NOTHING wrong in reacting as she did. She said in a medical emergency every minute counts (she had imagined that I passed out on the bus due to the flu <even though I do not have the flu> and had even called the hospitals in my area). When I called her and asked if she would go by my apartment and make sure no one could get in she said she didn't have time (it was Saturday morning and she was getting ready to go to synagogue services). That made me mad because it was she who created the problem in the first place. The friend with the answering machine went over and told me the place was secure.

Since my friend does not feel she did anything wrong she will not contact the landlord. She said I should not rely on e mail as the only means of communication because not everyone checks their e mail. She did berate the rental agency for not contacting her and when I asked if she called them back after leaving numerous messages she said she had not. So, I called the emergency maintenance number I usually call and left a message. Oy vey!

Like I said I am INTENSELY angry about this even though I understand the concern beneath it all.

[silverlib]

4. two cases

at a place I worked, within five years of each other.

high executive didn't call or come in...found dead in his apartment, murdered.

receptionist, married with children, failed to come in...coworker went to find her, her husband, and three young children murdered in their home.

i've been really concerned since when there is any question of a person's health or well-being.

thank this person greatly. what a great friend. a little paranoid? perhaps...but we are our experiences.

your apartment manager will surely understand. pay to replace what you need. as them to take it out of the rent gradually if you are short on funds.