I used to think that Warren was uncommunicative. I'd speak to him and he'd silently stare off into whatever world he could see in mind's eye. It would take a few seconds of verbal prodding before he'd jolt back to life. He'd actually physically jolt too, as if the last verbal prod came with a slap in the face. Sometimes I found it amusing. Most often it was irritating. All the time though I considered it to uncommunicative and rude. Then along came Aaron. I had no idea how wrong I was. Aaron showed me what uncommunicative and rude really means.
Aaron wouldn't pretend to be lost in thought when I spoke. He wouldn't pretend to not hear me either. He'd just ignore me. I found it odd that'd he'd ignore me since I am not much of a talker to begin with. Not only that but we so rarely saw each other that even if I spoke to him everytime I saw him it would be three days since we last spoke.
At first our conversations went like this:
Sarah would be in the kitchen making supper and Aaron'd walk in the door.
Sarah: "Hi, how are you?"
Aaron would take off his shoes.
Sarah: "How was work?
Aaron would walk into the hallway into his bedroom. Sarah would hear the door close.
Sarah: "...oookay."
After he got to know me better our conversations went like this:
Sarah would be in the living room on the laptop and Aaron would walk in.
Sarah: "Hey, how's it going?"
Aaron would sit down on the chair and turn on the TV
Sarah: "Anything good on right now?"
Aaron: "Fuck! Enough questions."
Sarah: "...oookay."
Fuck was actually Aaron's most oft-used word. It was applied to every scenario where he felt words were unnecessary - which was every scenario. I don't know why it annoyed him so. Granted, sometimes I'd speak to him while he was watching TV and he'd say "Fuck, I'm watching TV" Unfortunately by this time I had limited my questions to matters of money, and I guess he didn't think that the question "Can I get the bill money on Friday?" trumped his movie. I certainly did.
I guess he thought that I didn't need to ask. He did always pay me on the day he said he would, but apparently I didn't trust him to pay without reminding him and perhaps he sensed that distrust. I didn't give him an opportunity to pay me without having asked him first. I didn't give him a chance to reap the benefit of the doubt. Maybe always having to confirm his unspoken intentions like that got under his skin. He probably felt he was nonverbally conveying his intentions well enough and felt insulted when I asked him.
In the short periods of time I did see him, if he was conveying anything nonverbally I was completely incapable of reading it. It seemed to me that I knew nothing about him and nothing about his intentions toward anything. Still, I was aware that every time I spoke to him now it was about money or some sort of chore. I forgot that he got just as annoyed when I'd say "Wow it's nice out today" as he did when I'd say "Can I get that $30?" and I began to think I should go a little easier on him.
When we were down to four days left in the apartment I braved pissing him off by speaking to him. He was watching an anime DVD in the living room. I said, "Well, we almost have to leave here soon." He didn't take his eyes off the TV. "What are your plans?"
Aaron looked annoyed and still keeping his eyes on the TV said, "Plans about what?"
"About the apartment" I said.
"I aint got no plans about the apartment." Aaron was not well-spoken.
"Well you should, we have to leave here in a few days. Like my plans are that I am going to pack over the next couple days, the movers are coming on Wednesday, and I'll do clean up Thursday and Friday. Friday will be my last day here."
Aaron said, eyes still on the TV, "Friday will be my last day here too." If it was possible his eyes seem to become more focused on the TV and in some subliminal way ended the conversation.
That answer didn't satisfy me. Conspicuously absent to me was the mention of when he was going to do clean up. I knew the 'fuck' was coming soon if I kept talking, but I had to ask... "So do you think you are going to do any clean up?"
And then it came. "Fuck! What do you think?" I decided this was it. Nearing the end of our relationship I'd finally give him the benefit of the doubt right here right now. My instinct was screaming at me to nail him down on a yes or no, but I decided to ignore it. I concluded that his answer meant that he would do some clean up. I then nodded, said ok, and walked away.
Well, I thought wrong. Aaron not only didn't clean, he left garbage in his room for my sister and I to take out for him. That'll teach me for giving someone like him the benefit of the doubt.
~~~
P.S. You may wonder why I chose him to be a roommate in the first place. The answer is: He initially showed up with his older sister. In her presence he was completely polite and well-mannered. On his own though he was a nightmare.
P.P.S. I actually had to clean spit off his walls. Spit.
P.P.P.S. On Wednesday he texted me, "Did u find a roommate yet". On Thursday I asked him if he was asking to be my roommate in my new place. He said he was. I was dying to laugh at his face... but at this point I didn't know yet he wasn't going to clean, and he also owed me $64 so I didn't. If you ever get a chance to read my blog Aaron, then know that my thoughts at the time were "Hahahahaha AS IF! You're the WORST!"
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