So far, it has been an eventful morning. Went to the thrift store, the bank, post office, and grocery store, and also had the police come over to keep my landlord in line. You know, just the usual.

When I got back from running errands this morning, Ada, the sixtyish year old crazy as a bat landlord of mine, started to yell at me about the rent. I told her that I mailed it to her daughter, Iris, who is the person I have dealt with since moving in here even though, technically, Ada, the mainly Spanish speaking, loud as hell, great-grandmother is the building's owner. Ada has been left here by herself because even Iris and her family can't stand her anymore, and they are in a fight, which makes paying my rent awkward because I know I am supposed to mail it to Iris since she actually pays all the bills, but legally, I should be paying it to Ada and Ada told me to pay it to her. I, of course, ignored her because she's crazy. Anyway, when I told Ada that I had already mailed the rent to Iris a while ago, man, oh boy, she flipped and started yelling at me and I started yelling at her, and I just ignored her because she wouldn't let me talk and walked upstairs and she threatened to turn off the hot water and also called me a bitch (I think).

And sure enough, the hot water stopped working. I tried calling Iris a few times, and she wasn't picking up. So, full of rage and aware that this was explicitly illegal to turn off a tenant's hot water, I went downstairs and told her so and that she needed to turn it right back on otherwise I was filing harrassment charges against her. She told me to call her daughter and yelled about how she didn't have money to pay bills, and I said, "No, you listen," as she kept talking over me, so I kept on demanding "listen, listen, listen," and told her that "No, I am not playing games. I am not calling your daughter. I am talking to you. Listen, listen. And do you understand? If you don't turn it on right now, I am calling the city, not your daughter." And she continued to yell at me, before yelling "Get out, get out." Then we exchanged some "fuck you"s.

Mad as hell, I called 311 and was put through to a 911 dispatcher. They were on their way. She turned back on the hot water before they got here. I called back to tell them not to come, but they still came. They were totally on my side and told me that what she did was totally illegal. They talked to her and told her that what she did was illegal and that if she did it again, she would get a summons, and if she refused to turn back on the hot water, she would be arrested. Um, yeah, by the way, my lease is up in a month and I am a little scared that they might now renew it. I have yet to talk to Iris, who knows her mom is a crazy troll, but I am worried that she will be mad at me. And still, Ada needs to put her signature on the lease. I am just not going to bring up the subject of renewing it and continue to pay month to month until things cool down a little.

I know I probably should have waited a bit to cool off before calling the city since she did, in fact, heed my warning and turn it back on. But now, hopefully, she knows not to play games with me. Though, still, I am worried that Iris might be pissed about me calling the cops on her old mom. She's a jerk and totally an awful landlord, but some level of communication and civility would be nice, especially since I want to continue to live here since it is so cheap, so maybe I did the wrong thing, though, it does feel great to have put that woman in her place.