So, Sue�s and my roommate has known for over two weeks (I�d say since the first days of January) that she'd going to be laid off. So, she tells us and Sue and I offer her places to get jobs (there are jobs in this city if you know where to look). She's all ready to go get a job, acting all geared-up. Well, she went to Human Resources twice to fax out resumes, and the rest of the time she's been out with the guys or sleeping all day. The other week when I came home on Tuesday at 3 p.m. she was just getting out of bed saying, "Today's my day off (she still works her old job, but twice a week), so I decided to sleep in." Like her work requires her to get up early (most days starting between 10 to 2). Then on the Friday, I come home after noon, and again, she's taken the day to "rest." She has not done any real looking for a job � like actually handing out resumes.

So, Sue and I sat down with her the other day and told her that she needs to find a job or go on EI or whatever, but hey, you do have to pay rent! (a little background here: She came up in September. We gave her September�s rent free. She got wasted time not looking for a job, so we asked her how that job hunt was going. Finally she gets two, already a month of rent and bills behind. She hates one job so she quite, under the understanding that she was going to use that time to find a better job. She never did. Now she can�t pay rent or bills, they�re piling up�) She owes us over $400 for rent and bills. We've talked to her before about rent and bills and she's not bothered to get another job. So, we were firmer this time, but after three minutes (no word of a lie) she's crying saying we're unfair and she's trying. We're unfair! This made me irate, but I didn't say anything. Well, she left in a huff (how unrealistic of Sue and I to expect her to pay rent!) and didn't come back that night. She came by Sunday and, when she thought Sue and I couldn't hear her, she packed some stuff and left for the night. If she's moving out, so much the better, but she should just tell us.

So then yesterday, Sue was still in bed and she came home. She thought she was alone, so she got on the phone and started crying and telling people that we were unfair and asking for money every week and "there's no way I can meet their demands." And she said to that person (her mom, we think, not living in this city� calling long distance during the day� almost $1 a minute� so I cut off our long distance), "Can I move back in?" Then she started saying a lot of "Ya, but..." and things like "No, I have been trying to get a job." Which makes Sue and I think that even her family doesn't believe she's without fault. So, she tells the person that she's leaving Thursday.

After she got off the phone, she started playing on her computer. Sue got up and went to the bathroom. Sue heard a lot of shuffling, and by the time Sue was out (less than two minutes) she had had left... Avoid much? She came back last night and gave Sue and I a total of $100 saying that was all she was paid (which is a lie, as she writes her hours down, and we know she made lots more, as some of her Christmas hours were still owed to her), but we were glad to get some cash. Then, as she's leaving, Sue says, "So, are you moving out or what, because it affects our life." (She still hadn't told us yet). She says, "Ya, I was going to go Thursday, but I think I'm going tomorrow." So Sue told her to leave her key in the mail box.

So, that�s where we�re at now. I hate conflict. I hate stress.