And The Truth Shall Set You Free

It's over.

I won. My son and I are not getting evicted. The trial was scheduled for tomorrow - along with 75 other eviction cases.

At first I didn't know how to react. The ball of stress was so tightly wound around my insides that even the news that truth prevailed - my truth - couldn't loosen its python grip - yet.

The management company's attorneys called my attorney today because they realized they had nothing. They did not have credible witnesses. They had no hard-core evidence. All they had was hearsay and lies and fabrications and the crazy rantings of the tenant that started all of this when she and her son stole my mail. Unreal, huh? And they came after me because I exercised my right as a tenant to call the police and report the theft. And the day after I did this, the tenant retaliated and went to management with her lies and management believed her. I'm tempted to publish all the allegations made against me because some of the stuff is so out into left field that a five year old could punch enough holes in it to make the management company look like fools but right now, I just want to put this behind me somehow. Maybe I'll write a book. No one should be subjected to this kind of abuse of power, this harassment and retaliation by a management company all because I exercised my enumerated rights as a tenant.

There are laws in place to protect tenants. There are laws in place to protect the landlords and the management companies. But when a situation occurs like mine and management abuses its power and exercises complete and sheer ludicriousy, stupidity and lack of common sense all because someone like me actually KNOWS her rights and had the truth all along, and had the evidence to prove the lies were lies, and had the evidence to prove that the "witnesses" were also lying, then management does not stand a chance in court.

What judge in his or her right mind would evict a single, working parent with a child, both of whom have resided in the same town for seven and a half years and was never late with rent, has never been arrested, and who has abided by the rules and regulations among all the other reasons I had?

I would hope that all judges would go "yah, right" to the management company of this property at which I reside.

This was a clear abuse of power. This was a clear and evident act of harassment and retaliation against me for exercising my rights as a tenant. And the psychopathic pathological liar across the hall from me? Too bad she won't get a chance to further perjure herself.

No one should be subjected to this kind of treatment by any landlord or management company with out clear, convincing evidence and credible witnesses.

And the management company here lacked all of the above. And they knew it.

The best part of the truth is it's always the same. It never changes. And I've held on to the truth for six months and even though I did not get a chance to speak the truth in open court, I know in my heart that truth prevailed. And perhaps some serious prayers to God, too.

And let me tell you something else. You find out who your friends are - your genuine, extraordinary friends who stick beside you through your darkest days, through your rantings and hashing and re-hashings, and who never lose faith in you - even when you've lost it yourself. Those people in my life - they always knew the truth. And they still do.

This tenant across the hall from me - she's supposed to be moving. She hasn't yet. But who knows - it could have been just another lie. But if it's not, then good riddance. Let her go steal someone else's mail and let her weave her lies around someone else. For someone like that - her whole life will always be one big lie.

I feel for her children. I still retained my compassion even throughout all this nightmare that she caused me. But there's that part of me that genuinely feels sad for her kids.

Right now, though, my son is sitting at the kitchen table working on his homework. And tonight, he will sleep peacefully without nightmares. Jeff Gordon will remain on his walls, and the memories of the Red Sox 2004 World Series championship will continue to surround him. His bed will stay where it is and his stuffed cow named Sam secure in his arms.

Tonight, I will just lay in bed and try to forget about the last six months. And pray that I don't have a stroke and die in my sleep. Because I'd be really pissed if I woke up dead.

Yes, I still have my sense of humor. I lost a lot of things in the past six months but that I did not lose.

And the truth shall set you free.

One more thing:

Proverbs 19.5: "A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall not escape."

Amen.