He’s Baaaack

The outgoing mail slot was fine when I picked up mail on Wednesday but, when I went to the mail center yesterday afternoon (Friday), I could see where the bad guy had returned and begun working on getting into the outgoing slot.

The mail carrier is still not delivering to the boxes the guy damaged two weeks ago, management -- other than to make the area less hazardous to walk through by putting the medal back in place with duct tape, has not yet set about repairs, and the bad guy is back for more already.

Taped Off so No One Would Get Hurt

Another Use for Duct Tape

I don’t imagine there’s any point of management making repairs if no steps are being taken to solve the issue of break-ins. Either post night security on the property, relocate the mail center to the inside office, or enclose the mail center in a gate with key access to residents.

For now, the mail carrier has told us to give outgoing mail directly to her or drop off at the UPS Store next to the corner market.

Though nowhere in the world is completely safe from bad things, and there are worse things that can happen beyond mail theft and breaking into cars, I’m feeling we’re under siege here. Like I’m living in an episode of The Walking Dead, surrounded by reanimated corpses, having to always be aware of my surroundings during the day, pepper spray and a taser at the ready, never venturing out at night.

Residents have reported regularly seeing guys jumping the fence to get onto the property, a homeless guy was chased off twice as he tried to enter the Community Room, Apache recently chased a guy away from the pool shower (I forgot to ask if the guy was naked showering, but I can’t imagine showering with clothes on).

Inasmuch as the police are slow to respond, or totally non-responsive, we don’t even call them anymore. Apache has trouble sleeping at night because of back pain, so it’s not unusual that he’s outside early a.m., trying to walk the pain off or is doing his laundry. When I told him a resident had seen a guy and a girl arrive on a bike, hop the pool fence and go swimming, he made his mission to catch them. Early this morning he did – at 3:00 a.m., and ran them off.

Because there are worse things that can happen and nowhere is completely safe, moving is not a viable option for me. Because of where my unit is located on the property, it’s safe inside and I have a great view. Plus, I can’t imagine being able to have a unit as nice as this one at so little cost because of its location not being anywhere near walking distances to anything of major importance – like a beach, mall or entertainment, where units not near as nice as this go for thousands. 

The downsides of living here are I now feel the pool is too creepy germy to swim in, I have to leave the area for better produce (as the freshest produce is not shipped to markets in this area, like today when I drove 20 miles to get cauliflower that didn’t have brown spots, cherry tomatoes and apricots that weren’t already soft, and apples that weren’t blemished), leave the area for entertainment, and now the fact we’re being preyed upon.

One resident I spoke with is already looking to move. The choice for me is ... take a chance on a better area and spend so much on rent that finances become a worry, or put up with what’s happening in this area and enjoy, what we in the spiritual circles refer to as, “plenty plenty plenty to spare and to share”.

Right now, it’s an easy choice to keep my lovely unit, beautiful view and extra cash, but who knows.

Saw Head Maintenance Guy (HMG) walking around on Friday, so he's baaaack as well. No word yet on his aunt -- Assistant Community Manager. The rumor mill is now saying she’s not sick, nor on vacation, but fired.

I don’t see her job listed on Corporate’s Career site, so I’ll believe it when I see her job posted and/or a moving van at her unit.

As far as I know, Activity Director is still on staff, but I won’t know that for sure until Tuesday when we’re scheduled for an End of Summer Luau. If she shows and the luau is on, she’s still employed here. If she doesn’t show ...... well then.