Rule #1: If You Don’t Get What You Want By Being Yourself, Be A Bit Rude
That is, of course, if you’re not rude by nature. I’m not. And, nothing seemed to happen when I was just being nice and normal. Being Myself. Trying to make a good impression, trying not to come off as a moaning bastard. Which, consequently, I am. What else. It’s surprising how a little change in the attitude can make a big difference.
The thing is that I really really can’t stand any kind of filth. I’m not a freak; my room could use a bit of tidying up quite often. But I just can’t stand plain dirt – and that’s all this place was when I came. The shower was, and oh well, still is, disgusting – you’d want flip-flops to walk in there. But at least Flatmate’s done something about it now, however little that was. But it’s something and it’s a start. At first, I was being nice and pleasant and just hinted about the things that needed doing, but it didn’t seem to have any kind of effect on Flatmate. I don’t feel like I should be the one doing the cleaning because it’s not me who has made the mess, but I’ve had to do something to make the flat livable.
Being nice didn’t work, so I figured I’d try the other approach: being rude. Not really rude, just a bit, to make the message go through. But not being mean – I’m a fairly nice person, after all. Well, at least I think so. I just said something about her abilities to clean and, erm, something not so nice about the person who she used to live with. I don’t even know how to be mean, really – I’m bad at coming up with things that would be offending in any way. I bit of swearing always helps, of course.
A surprise! It worked! Not immediately, though, but it did! On some scale at least. Flatmate did the washing-up, which is a small miracle. Now I can actually see the table. I had to wipe it clean though, but it was a good start. There’s been a minor setback to a good start; nothing’s happened since. Maybe that was too big an effort for Flatmate and now she has to rest for a while to be able to get her hands dirty again. She does have all sorts of cleaning sprays and things in the cupboard, but I’m convinced her mum came to visit and realising the state of things bought those for her. There they just sit on the shelves, all lonely. Maybe it’s time there’s a change in the life of Flatmate’s cleaning products.
Oh and, if you really are rude by nature, why not try the other approach? Be nice for a change.
