Drama, Drama, Drama

Living with eight women meant that drama would be inevitable, but I didn't expect it to be in quite like this.

But first, the good stuff:

Last week was Roommate 6's birthday (23! She's a baby!). She had class until 9.30 pm, so Roommate 5 and I bought her a cake and candles during that time. 5 then waited on the balcony for 6's return, and when she was approaching trotted into the common area, Paul Revere style, to say "She's coming, she's coming!" We lit the candles, turned off the lights, and when 6 came in all she saw was the candle-lit cake.

Here is her reaction:
Afterwards, we sat about, chatted and fell into a deep debate about the identity of Berbers (in case you find yourself in a similar situation, be certain you never call a Berber Arab. He will not take kindly to the comment).

But I don't really want to talk about that. The far more immediate story has to do with my title: Drama, drama, drama. Because the roommate drama has been awesome and has spawned many the hour of gossiping and venting, much to my delight.

Here is some background. 7 was the last roommate to move in and caused problems from the beginning. I think I've mentioned the various room switches that were required (when 6 and 7 hadn't moved in for 2 weeks, 4 took their room because it was twice the size, and then 7 vehemently insisted she move out right this instant), but those were all done with and we thought the drama would be over.

We were wrong. At first I thought the problem was the age difference - 7 was an undergraduate and, as such was 4 to 7 years younger than the rest of us. But she's more than just immature, as you will see.

Life rapidly became unbearable for 6. For instance, 7's mother would call her at 5 am and 7 would proceed to talk on the phone in her bed for extended periods of time. She watched television on her computer at all hours of the night and laughed out loud when 6 was trying to sleep. She also came home in the middle of the night with no regard for the effect of noise and light on a sleeping roommate, and behaved in the same manner in the morning when she got ready for her 7.30 am classes. 7 also created problems for everyone when she did inconsiderate things like stuffing a fridge shared with 7 other people with her masses of food (including an entire watermelon!), used other people's Tupperware without asking permission, broke a measuring cup and then refused to fess up even when pressed, and (to my greatest chagrin), insisted upon cooking in the middle of the night and, in so doing, wake people up.

I called a roommate meeting in my capacity as Flat President (obviously, the tallest has to be in charge. It's a law of nature) and brought up some of the problems. I was completely diplomatic and when I was saying that we had to reorganize the fridge never once named names or even looked angry about it. I thought it was going to be okay after that, but. . .

You can guess where this is going, right? It got worse.

Once, 7 was pounding spices at 10 pm. I'm not sure why one would pound on spices at any time, and for ten minutes, but there she was. 10 is after my bedtime (I am an old lady and have class at 7.30 am) so I came into the kitchen and asked in what I tried to make an non confrontational voice, " Do you have to do that right now? I'm trying to sleep." Her response was to roll her eyes and say, "You're sleeping? It's only 8 or 9." "Actually, its 10," I said and walked away.

That was the extend of it - I basically didn't talk to her after that. But I did talk to 6 as the grievances mounted. And finally I talked about it to B, who is in charge of apartment housing for the school and is a friend. He offered even more important information: 7's existence in our flat had been a mistake from the start. He had never intended to place one undergraduate among grad students and had already twice offered to move her to a better apartment with only 3 other girls her age. He even offered to move her stuff for her, but she said it was too much trouble.

So. When I mentioned 6's grievances, B said that, were she to make a formal complaint, he would force 7 to move out. So 6 did so the next working day. Apparently it was a nightmare and dissolved into a shouting match as 7 kept insisting that she wasn't inconsiderate because 6 did all the things mentioned (like watching TV and talking on the phone). 6 kept repeating that it wasn't what is done that's the trouble but how it's done. . . 7 didn't get it, and stomped out of the meeting.

We thought that was the end of it, that we would now have to live with a roommate not only inconsiderate and immature but also belligerent. But, somehow, B convinced her to move. Our theory is that he sat her down and told her that everyone hated her and she couldn't stay.

That wasn't exactly true then, but it may be now. See, I hadn't hated her before, I just found her annoying and silly but I could easily ignore her. And after she moved out all the roommates breathed a sigh of relief and thought we were done with the drama - back to the happy family.

Until today (almost a week after 7 moved out) when 6 opened her email. 7 had sent her the following message via facebook (I'm glad I don't have an account on it or I might have gotten one too!):

So I hope u are happy with ur grumpy pitiful self….I am certainly happy that I no longer have to wake up next to an old hag like urself….u called me in-considered when in reality u and ur giant friend are the reckless ones in the house who are nosey and literally have no other live than to snoop into people’s business’…it’s a matter of time when the other roommates catch on to your nagging pesky side …they will soon realize both ur giant friend are insecure, juvenile, fastidious trash

I am sorry that I actually have friends who I hang out with……and that I have a reason to be out late at night…unlike u I don’t sign up for double rooms hoping to make friends by chance b/c I am incapable of socializing and meeting people on my own…

”I am not scared of you…you little shit”…I can’t believe u uttered such a thing…first of all if u weren’t scared u’da never said such a thing…but I was not about to stoop to ur level…jealousy and self pity will only get u so far…maybe u should get off ur fat ass stop inhaling cheese like candy before u explode…

Oh and by the way…u should take ur cynical racist self back to the states…yeah!!!!! I heard all the stupid jokes u make about Arabs…

Moving away from u was like getting rid of an ulcer

Chao

Wow. Not only is it terrible English (and Italian), but the complaints (besides being inconsistent - reckless and fastidious? Fastidious trash?) are way off base. And why were only 6 and I singled out? Does asking someone not to pound things after 10 pm make me reckless? Or is that one of my fastidious trash traits?

I really don't understand people. How has she come this far without basic human functions?

Don't take this diatribe as a sign of unhappiness, however. I love all the rest of my roommates, and I've made some exciting and fascinating friends. The one bad egg, at least, makes for a fabulous topic of conversation. And since 7's new roommate is in my Arabic class, the gossip promises to continue for some time to come.

I certainly won't get bored.