At first I was upset… Then I was pissed… And now I just feel kinda numb, I guess. Don't really know how to feel...
Y’see, a couple of days ago, I received an email from a housemate (ex-housemate? It’s complicated!) to say that he no longer wants to rent the room. The reason why I don’t know whether to classify him as a housemate or an ex-housemate is because he actually moved out a couple of months back but he was still renting the room for his ex (she’s still occupying the room but she hasn’t been home in months. But her stuff are still there though!).
Anyhoo… I received the email from him when I smsed his ex-gf to tell her to bank in the room rent to Chin Aun cos it was overdue. Everyone’s gotta pay up by the 5th cos Chin Aun’s gotta bank the total sum to the landlord by the 7th. Since he didn’t pay yet, Chin Aun paid on his behalf first. Then he says he doesn’t want to rent anymore, therefore he doesn’t want to pay.
So I told him, you can’t just tell me that smack in the middle of the month and expect all loose ends to tie themselves up. At least give me a month’s notice and I’ve gotta find someone else and etc. So he says ok, he’ll come and meet with Chin Aun to discuss the next course of action. After many phone calls and numerous smses, he finally agreed on a time to meet with Chin Aun, which was on Tuesday at 4pm.
He came over and brought his university lecturer (who is a friend) with him, whom according to him, was there to help him clear the stuff in his room. By and by, I thought it was very nice of the lecturer.
Here’s lies the problem. Since the moment he stepped into the house, he refused to say anything! Zilch!! No words came from him at all! Then I asked him if everything was ok, whether is there anything wrong with his ex-gf and I wanted to know why she suddenly wanted to move out. He refused to answer me. I asked him to have a seat at the dining table and even brought him a chair but he totally zipped up! I was starting to feel weird and I kept asking him stuff (still no replies! No surprise here!)
And then Chin Aun told me to go into my room and do my stuff, and that he’ll settle it. Fine… Shoo me away...
So anyways, after that, Chin Aun mainly spoke to his lecturer who was totally clueless about stuff and I guess he was just at the wrong place at the wrong time. I mean, the idea to meet up is to settle everything in a nice manner. After all, everything is negotiable and we gotta find a way to find the best thing to do next. But what can we settle if one party refuses to say a word!?
Anyhow, then his phone rang and he told Chin Aun that his DAD wants to talk to Chin Aun. (huh?!) Anyways, his dad told Chin Aun to let him pack and that his dad would settle everything with Chin Aun later.
So Chin Aun allowed him to pack his stuff from the room and then after that Chin Aun drafted a simple MOU to state that he still owes Chin Aun the stipulated sum of rent for the month of January. With the lecturer as a witness. Chin Aun signed the doc, so did the lecturer. When this fella came out from his room, and Chin Aun told him to sign the document, he called his dad again and got his dad to call Chin Aun. And this is the climax of the story:
His dad called and threatened Chin Aun!!! He spoke in Hokkien but this is somewhere along the lines of what he said (Chin Aun told me the censored version, it seems). He told Chin Aun that his son need not sign any agreements and that by asking him to sign, Chin Aun doesn’t trust him. He then goes on to tell Chin Aun that he knows Chin Aun’s dad and that he’s got a reputation and has numerous connections and will let Chin Aun “get it” if Chin Aun continues to persist. Then he tells Chin Aun to let his son go home first and that he will come down to KL (from Penang) on Thursday to meet with Chin Aun. To let Chin Aun “get it”? Or to properly settle it?
Great huh? A story of threat(?) blackmail(?) intimidation(?) in the 21st century!! Imagine… All these while, I was in my room, totally clueless of the situation. Then when Chin Aun came and check on me, he told me everything! I was so appalled. I am a person of many words but I guess I’ve found the first thing to ever render me speechless!
For God’s sake! We are friends! Hmmm… we were friends(?) And here he is, refusing to settle minor complications in an amiable manner and instead, asking his dad to resort to making threats. Good grief! He was here for around 2 hours (give or take a little) and he NEVER SAID A WORD!! NONE AT ALL!!
Y’see, a couple of days ago, I received an email from a housemate (ex-housemate? It’s complicated!) to say that he no longer wants to rent the room. The reason why I don’t know whether to classify him as a housemate or an ex-housemate is because he actually moved out a couple of months back but he was still renting the room for his ex (she’s still occupying the room but she hasn’t been home in months. But her stuff are still there though!).
Anyhoo… I received the email from him when I smsed his ex-gf to tell her to bank in the room rent to Chin Aun cos it was overdue. Everyone’s gotta pay up by the 5th cos Chin Aun’s gotta bank the total sum to the landlord by the 7th. Since he didn’t pay yet, Chin Aun paid on his behalf first. Then he says he doesn’t want to rent anymore, therefore he doesn’t want to pay.
So I told him, you can’t just tell me that smack in the middle of the month and expect all loose ends to tie themselves up. At least give me a month’s notice and I’ve gotta find someone else and etc. So he says ok, he’ll come and meet with Chin Aun to discuss the next course of action. After many phone calls and numerous smses, he finally agreed on a time to meet with Chin Aun, which was on Tuesday at 4pm.
He came over and brought his university lecturer (who is a friend) with him, whom according to him, was there to help him clear the stuff in his room. By and by, I thought it was very nice of the lecturer.
Here’s lies the problem. Since the moment he stepped into the house, he refused to say anything! Zilch!! No words came from him at all! Then I asked him if everything was ok, whether is there anything wrong with his ex-gf and I wanted to know why she suddenly wanted to move out. He refused to answer me. I asked him to have a seat at the dining table and even brought him a chair but he totally zipped up! I was starting to feel weird and I kept asking him stuff (still no replies! No surprise here!)
And then Chin Aun told me to go into my room and do my stuff, and that he’ll settle it. Fine… Shoo me away...
So anyways, after that, Chin Aun mainly spoke to his lecturer who was totally clueless about stuff and I guess he was just at the wrong place at the wrong time. I mean, the idea to meet up is to settle everything in a nice manner. After all, everything is negotiable and we gotta find a way to find the best thing to do next. But what can we settle if one party refuses to say a word!?
Anyhow, then his phone rang and he told Chin Aun that his DAD wants to talk to Chin Aun. (huh?!) Anyways, his dad told Chin Aun to let him pack and that his dad would settle everything with Chin Aun later.
So Chin Aun allowed him to pack his stuff from the room and then after that Chin Aun drafted a simple MOU to state that he still owes Chin Aun the stipulated sum of rent for the month of January. With the lecturer as a witness. Chin Aun signed the doc, so did the lecturer. When this fella came out from his room, and Chin Aun told him to sign the document, he called his dad again and got his dad to call Chin Aun. And this is the climax of the story:
His dad called and threatened Chin Aun!!! He spoke in Hokkien but this is somewhere along the lines of what he said (Chin Aun told me the censored version, it seems). He told Chin Aun that his son need not sign any agreements and that by asking him to sign, Chin Aun doesn’t trust him. He then goes on to tell Chin Aun that he knows Chin Aun’s dad and that he’s got a reputation and has numerous connections and will let Chin Aun “get it” if Chin Aun continues to persist. Then he tells Chin Aun to let his son go home first and that he will come down to KL (from Penang) on Thursday to meet with Chin Aun. To let Chin Aun “get it”? Or to properly settle it?
Great huh? A story of threat(?) blackmail(?) intimidation(?) in the 21st century!! Imagine… All these while, I was in my room, totally clueless of the situation. Then when Chin Aun came and check on me, he told me everything! I was so appalled. I am a person of many words but I guess I’ve found the first thing to ever render me speechless!
For God’s sake! We are friends! Hmmm… we were friends(?) And here he is, refusing to settle minor complications in an amiable manner and instead, asking his dad to resort to making threats. Good grief! He was here for around 2 hours (give or take a little) and he NEVER SAID A WORD!! NONE AT ALL!!
I spoke to his ex-gf and asked her why she didn't tell me that she wanted to move. Even though I spoke to her on MSN, saw her on campus and even smsed her when she didn't came back home. Then she said that she told her ex and that he said he would settle it. Is this a matter of settling? I'm so confused...
What’s even more ironic is that the landlord initially didn’t want to rent the room out to a male that he doesn’t know. Seems that they are troublesome? But my friend (this guy’s ex-gf) pleaded with me and said that her then-bf is not the type of person in question. So we persisted and discussed with the landlord and although the rental was raised to accommodate this, but everything was fine. We even had a deal that we would stay the full 2 years to avoid complications.
I just feel so weird… We’re not even talking about someone who is a stranger. This is someone we laugh and talk with. Someone that we’ve even helped when he was going through a rough patch in his relationship. Go figure? This brings new meaning to the saying “Biting the hand that feeds you”.
So, to everyone’s who’s reading this… How shall Chin Aun go about settling this issue? (He refused to let me be involved) Any suggestions? I don’t want anyone to get hurt
I guess one MAJOR lesson learnt here:
Trust No One (yeah! X-Files!!) You think you know them but you’ll never know what someone is capable of. Unless of course, you really know that person J I’ve had my fair share of meeting people like that, but of course I have been blessed with friends that are dearer than all the treasures in the world.
I guess it’s just that feeling of being disgruntled… the feeling’s still here. But I’m no longer pissed. Maybe still a little upset though… But I do know one thing’s for sure, there’s still this feeling deep inside that can be likened to the bitter aftertaste that lingers in your mouth after you take medication.
4 comments:
well..well..i see u have finally blog abt this event..hehe..good blog..ok.here's wat i gotta say..ur he (meaning ur ex-roomate..ahha not chin aun) is a total wanker!!
opppss..forgot..the above post is me :)
-scwar-
he's using his dad to threaten u, he's dad is using he's 'enormous' network of ppl to threaten u & chin aun. Is there any way you can report this to the police? after all, they are threatening to harm you all over rent issues. Plus, you got the lecturer as a witness to these events. With that aside, I think that fella doesn't deserve anymore of a split second of concern from you on why he refused to talk. maybe he suddenly woke up and became dumb. You know, these things happen and we really pity that unfortunate thing to befall him. When it comes to money, ppl change!
screw him..!!
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