CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT: Neighborly Nonsense

"I shouldn't really be bothering you," Shirley said, apologetically, "but I thought you should know.  Giselle just threatened to kill me."

This statement rendered me temporarily speechless.  "Wh-what?" I finally managed.

"She threatened to kill me," Shirley repeated.  "Giselle and Diane's sister were outside with their bratty kids.  Giselle's son, Richard, got into a fight with my son, and then Giselle and them all got involved. They started threatening me and saying they was going to burn down my #house an’ stuff."

"Oh, wow!  I'm sure they wouldn't actually kill you, though."  As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I couldn’t believe I’d said such a stupid thing.  “They were probably just trying to scare you, don’t you think?” I added.

Shirley didn’t appear to to have noticed my assinine statement.  "Maybe.  It is scary, though.  Jerry works nights now, so I'm here by myself.  I called the cops but they said they can't do anything.  Not until someone actually gets hurt."

“Isn't that ridiculous?” I sympathized. “I guess I don't know what to say, Shirley.  I'll have a word with Giselle, but I really can't afford to have her move out right now.  I need the rent."

"I understand," Shirley assured me. “I just thought you should know, seein' as it's your #property."

"Thanks," I said. "I appreciate it, and I will get in touch with Giselle and tell her to cool it.  By the way, did you get the stuff I sent you?"

"Yes we did.  Jerry's working on it now, gettin' all the papers an' everything."

"Good. I do need him to sign that letter requesting the assumption packet, so the bank can send me a new packet of forms.  Then I'll type them all out nicely, once you've filled in the copies you have now. They'll look more professional that way."

"Yeah," Shirley agreed.  "We'll put the letter in the mail to you tomorrow."

When I got home that night, I wrote to Giselle, asking her if she was making any progress with paying off the $1,100.00 she still owed me. I added the following paragraph: “I’ve had complaints from the next door neighbors that you threatened to kill Shirley!!!  Don’t you think that’s a little extreme?  Shirley obviously thinks so because she told me she called the cops on you.  What’s the deal?”

Giselle never replied.