2002-07-20 - 8:08 p.m.
I never realized before how badly my hands shake when I get furious ...

I woke up this morning with a migraine. Not sure if it's because I slept through my alarm and got 10 hours of sleep instead of 7 -- yes, I know it's the weekend, but I learned years and years ago that too much sleep makes me feel ill instead of rested -- or if it's because of how tense I was when I went to bed.

Got a letter from our rental company last night. It casually informed me that I owe $44.72 for the sprinkler head I accidentally drove over plus an hour of labor, and contained the following wording:

"Recently, Mrs. Bergerson actually drove up into a lawn area and broke a sprinkler head, causing the pipe to break and water to shoot into the air. You did not ever stop to inform the manager, but sped off and called once you got where you were going."

And that's not all. It was followed by,

"I must also inform you that you are in breach of your rental contract. Please refer to page 3, paragraph 13 which states that no vehicle shall be driven in excess of 15 miles per hour while on the dwelling unit premises. [...] Your excessive speed raises huge safety issues and must stop immediately. Please be aware that if we receive a complaint regarding your excessive speed one more time within a six month period, we will be forced to take action up to and including termination of your Residential Rental Agreement."

God. I don't want to know how high my blood pressure was right after I first read that. I'm not a Mrs., first of all. I was quite clear when we moved in that we were siblings. Secondly, it makes me sound like I recklessly shot my car up into the grass, when I was actually barely off the driveway, backing out while trying to avoid the neighbor's damned tent up in the driveway.

What did they want me to do? Be late to work? I called as soon as I got there, less than 10 minutes later, and I didn't know the pipe was broken, I thought the stupid sprinkler head was merely skewed funny. Plus, I was aware of my neighbor moving things around in her open garage, in full view, and given that she's a great friend of the manager, who's only a few houses down, I knew it would get taken care of if the issue was really serious. They make me sound like some reckless criminal!

Thirdly, great big "Ohhhhh" about the Rental Agreement; so THAT's why our thrice-bedamned complex manager came by early last week to finally, after nearly four months, give us an actual copy of the agreement. She knew this was coming. She KNEW this was coming, and didn't say a fucking word. Couldn't we have been verbally informed after the first complaint? How many complaints have there been? Cause we sure as hell haven't been recklessly driving. Maybe first turning in from the major road, for like 20 feet, but we always brake down to the limit immediately.

I will never, ever, ever, ever, ever respect anyone who goes behind backs and over heads to slap you with a ONE-MORE-CHANCE warning when a little word early on could have prevented an ugly situation. Or maybe if the guy on the phone had said there would be charges, and asked why didn't I stop in immediately. They nursed this thing, informed their highers-up, and now I get a really nasty letter from the housing corporation.

Combined with the job thing, I'm about ready to go ballistic. Not healthy. Not at all. Makes me think of Madman's old joke about me going postal. I was about two breaths away last night from storming over and cussing them out, but that would just get us slapped with at 30-day notice. Combined with the job situation recently ...

Oh. And one more beautiful little gem. I think my supervisor's found this site, from a couple of things she almost said the other day. Great. One more person concealing things from me, to slap me with later. Excuse me while I bend over and kiss my arse goodbye.

Hell. Maybe I should just up stakes and move to Eastern Oregon where I can afford to get an apartment with Hildi on menial wages. 'Cause if I stay here much longer ... *sigh*

Anyway. Had to vent. Blessings, all.