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31 May 2009

I think I may have just f-ed up →[More:]
So last night was my first night sleeping in my new apartment, or not sleeping, I should say.
I went to bed around midnight to the sounds of some feet shuffling and music upstairs, nothing too bad.

Then at 4:30 am I was awoken by people screaming and yelling out to one another in the street. I was going to yell out my window at them, but then they all came into my building and proceeded to have a really loud party right above me. I was able to get back to sleep around 6, but then I had to wake up at 8.

Fast-forward to tonight, got home from drinks and already hear music etc above so I decide to go up and knock so that I might be able to get some sleep tonight.

I go up, see which apt it's coming from, knock. No one answers but the door is ajar. Knock again and again, hear voices talking about who it could be at the door but no one gets up, so I say "excuse me?" and I open the door a little.

Here's the scene:
Very dark hallway leading to a living room where the only noticeable furnishings are an enormous snake tank with a massive snake on one wall, and a huge stereo system on the other wall (no surprise there). Beer bottles on the floor, 4 people on a couch,
one of whom is none other than the Super of my building.

I said I lived downstairs and asked really apologetically if they could turn it down and they kind of laughed at me and then one guy sighed and knelt down to turn it a little bit.

I apologized some more and left shaking.
I'm scared that now my super hates me and I've gotten off on the wrong food AND he has my keys.
And he has a giant snake and I have a little bunny and I'm doing the math on that one.

I wish it was Christmas already so I could give him a big tip or something and hope that smoothes it over.

Please reassure me!

post by: rmless2 at: 00:06 | 13 comments

Is a "super" like a landlord?

This sounds like a less than ideal living situation, but I wouldn't worry about your bunny. Nobody's out to hurt you; they're just assholes regarding their neighbors' peace and quiet.

posted by BoringPostcards 31 May | 00:22

Thanks, BP.

Supers are like the fix-it handy men of apt buildings. They deal with things like changing locks, fixing your broken window, etc. They're paid to be on call and live in the building, but they don't own it like a landlord.

posted by rmless2 31 May | 00:27

Building superintendent. Lives in the building, acts as the landlord's representative.

I don't know that this alone would make me worry about retaliation, but it might make me concerned that this isn't getting off on the right foot with an important person. A bad super can make your life hell just by, well, letting your neighbors party unmolested.

Lease? Look into "quiet enjoyment of the premises" clauses. You may need to exercise them.

posted by dhartung 31 May | 00:28

I would not be afraid.

posted by LoriFLA 31 May | 00:41

Blarrrgh rmless2! Crappy supers suck santorum. HE'S the one who should be apologizing. I would cut your losses and get out pronto.

posted by brujita 31 May | 00:42

I've known some perfectly fine folks who had big snakes for pets. I've also had some really good neighbors with bad sound problems that I ended up forgiving. I know it's hard.

You don't know if the super was just visiting there or lives there. Since the other guy turned it down, I figure he's just hanging out.

Maybe if you stop by there sometime during the day and explain your situation, they'd be a lot more reasonable. Your expectations are reasonable. Present them during clear-headed hours with no fear and see what happens. If they are truly assholes, the problems will continue. If not, maybe you made new friends.

It was your second night in your new apartment. That is a hard to sleep situation anywhere at any age.

posted by lilywing13 31 May | 03:14

Also, it's the weekend. See how the regular week goes before you flip out too much on anyone. And explain if you work weekends, so they might understand more. If they're crazy all week, do whatever you need to do.

posted by lilywing13 31 May | 03:15

There is a good side to this. Through your post title you've reminded me of the RHCP song "could have lied", and I am now massively funking out to Blood Sugar Sex Magic in my living room, with no pants on.

So there's that to be thankful for.

posted by Meatbomb 31 May | 03:23

I wouldn't be too concerned... but if I were you, I'd have given it a week or so to see how things are. I mean, I'm thinking, what if someone moved right next to us, and just by coincidence the very next day we happened to have one of the really terribly, terribly few relatively noisy parties/gatherings/impromptu-buncha-people-over that happen occasionally at our house - and our brand new neighbor came knocking to complain? I'd be, like, oh, hell... here we go.

Anyway... darling! Don't be afraid because of the snake thing - they're pet lovers, obviously! :) But seriously? No, don't imagine that kind of nightmare scenario - you will be a nervous wreck. I don't think you've done anything to call down a terroriffic response, and even if you had, most people (like 99.8% or something), seriously - most people - don't do ever awful stuff like that. You're just feeling off-balance and insecure because you are in a totally new environment. Which is natural. I felt the same way when we moved here... menaced by the silence... constantly getting up to check that everything was locked... every creak and slight unidentifiable sound seeming terribly magnified and ominous. Now it's totally the opposite... and I sleep with my bedroom french doors wide open when it's not cold, to pull in all the fresh air... SSHH!

Those scary, noisy neighbors may become friends, and perhaps the ones you depend on to be awake and aware when you aren't ... or not - they could turn out to be just noisy and a pain in the ass. But don't get too freaked out right now; it's just new-move jitters 'til you have more info.

Kisses to you. Moving is traumatic... and don't I know it. :)

posted by taz 31 May | 05:14

Thanks, all.
I am calmer and less worried in the light of day.
I think I was polite enough so I am just going to lay low for a while and hope they just think I am a dork.

posted by rmless2 31 May | 14:37

I agree with those who say 'give it a week or so' - because when you've just moved, it's hard to tell how your reactions are. You'll get better at sleeping in the new place, and you'll get your bearings and things won't seem as weird.

But - I'm also a big believer in going with your gut. If you still get the brush-off from folks - if they have a lot of loud, late-night parties and laugh at you - then fuck it. Get outta there, especially if you don't have a lease. Life's too short.

I had an apartment in town here that I loved at first sight. Turned out it was just too noisy for me. I gave it a week...and another week...and another...and finally realized I was never going to get better sleep, because when the bars closed it was guaranteed "WOO HOO" and motorcycles revving below my window. It wasn't going to improve. The next day I started calling around. Told the landlord 'it's just too noisy for me - sorry, but I have a job where I have to get up early and get good rest." No more excuse needed than that (again, lucky to have no lease).

I'm sure no one's going to sic the snake on your pets. But if you don't feel comfortable after a couple weeks, then just start looking around some more. It's okay to move until you're happy. But I hope things settle down and it's not as weird as it seems right now.

posted by Miko 31 May | 22:56

posted by Miko 31 May | 22:57

They're probably sitting up on the couch right now, smoking a big fatty and saying "Gee, I hope we didn't freak that girl out!"

posted by futureisunwritten 02 June | 19:23

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