They Don't Ask

Quietly, I sit, unnoticed, watching.

One wing of the small complex is occupied by 'students'. These are not bright University undergrads. This is a collection of those who attend a minor 'nursing' school. It is not turning out truly competent nurses, just fillers, those who empty bed pans and push gurneys.

I tell myself that they can't do better because they don't know better.

Tragically for me, my flat is close to their section. I can see them, unfortunately hear them, and know as much of their 'lives' as would a private investigator.

These women are loud and clumsy. They speak as children in a primary school. They are stupid and unattractive, sans style, class, manners.

Every feature is unattractive, bordering on repulsive. I ceased to say 'good morning' or 'good evening', as they do not know the proper response.

The woman hired to clean the dorm is of their ilk. She, a thief and a liar, is aware of my knowledge of her character, so we occupy different dimensions.

If this place was properly managed, it the managers were decent people, then of course I would speak to them. But management has been missing and the owners of the premises are completely disconnected.

I suppose if rent isn't received there would be a response, but I assume rent is paid.

No one monitors the maintenance staff, so they spend most of their day around the back, talking, smoking, picking fruit from the tree. They are just as loud as the students, so it is clear that the staff is in their comfort zone.

If they asked me, if the Management or Owners asked me, I could give them a full report.

I would advise to get rid of this current batch of tenants who waste water, electricity, gas, and bring down the tone of the place.

I could tell them to list the flats at the University, in certain faculties. I could tell them to make a number of rooms 'singles' instead of triples.

I could have them discharge the 'staff' and hire useful people.

And I would advise hiring an on spot manager who can manage.

If the tenants asked me, I would tell them how repulsive they appear, and help them upgrade their behaviour. Act more demure, move less awkwardly, and be conscious of how they appear.

But no one asks me.

No one asks me, so I say nothing.

When you have a job in which you are paid to advise, you tend to keep advice to yourself unless you are paid. This maintaining of silence becomes a subconscious action. After all, if you give free advice, how will you earn?

When you know that those in charge couldn't care less about what you think or know then you say nothing.

Perhaps you had attempted to alert management, and were excoriated, so now, simply get the pop corn, and sit back and watch.

As rental for the piece of room they occupy is almost beyond their pockets, to raise the rent is not possible. It would lead to evacuation. There isn't a long line of people who could afford an increased rent who would want to share a room and a bathroom with so many strangers.

If the rooms were singles a University Student would take it because it is in their price range. But to turn a room from a triple to a single is beyond the mental acuity of the owners.

So the owners decide to sell the premises.

All the tenants leave, the place is sold, and stands vacant, because those who bought it can't figure out how to make it function.

Of course, if I'd been asked.....