Drama at the old folks home

[clifffaith]

Several weeks ago I cat sat Gypsy down the hall while her mother Vicki was in Texas for five days. When Vicki returned she asked if I’d noticed her painting of Gypsy missing from her entryway (most of us old ladies have small tables and seasonal decor at our doors). Didn’t notice the painting as being missing but had seen the empty nail at some point. Couple hours later she tells me it must have fallen off the new nail she’d had maintenance put up for her just before she left, because she’d just found the painting tucked behind her little table (like it had fallen and someone tucked it safely away).

Next day, painting tucked behind table again. That started a round of visits from maintenance and purchases from Amazon trying to get the painting to stay up. In the last few days painting has migrated to the floor of the next door neighbor’s entry, twice. Then that neighbor was able to tell Vicki that she’d seen the across the hall neighbor acting suspiciously, and then a piece of masking tape was found on the painting. At that point Vicki reported the suspicious neighbor to Health Services as unfit for independent living (they are a Chinese couple who moved in a year ago and have rejected friendly overtures from everyone including our Chinese community). Yesterday Vicki put up a “do not touch” sign over the painting in both Chinese and English. Below is what she found this morning, and my suggestion as to what she should put up instead. Obviously one or both of the neighbors have issues with Gypsy staring at them!

 

[klpca]

My mom lives in a CCRC and most of the time things are calm but when things get weird, they get really weird. She had to report her upstairs neighbors about walking around at all hours of the night. She talked to them first and they denied being awake at night. My mom is deaf in one ear and never complains about noise so it had to be bad for her to hear it. I asked her about it recently because she hadn't mentioned it in a while and it sadly turned out that the woman of the couple needed to go to memory care as she wasn't sleeping and was walking around all night in her regular shoes. The man is now in assisted living.

 

[Tia]

oh boy , hope the Health Service persons have an idea for a solution

 

[easyrider]

Obviously one or both of the neighbors have issues with Gypsy staring at them!

I know its not funny to the people in the facility but ................

Bill

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

Obviously one or both of the neighbors have issues with Gypsy staring at them!

One of my first thought is that there could be something cultural in play here. There are some societies who believe that when you take a photograph of a person or animal, you capture a part of their soul as well as their physical image. If so, the picture would be the soul of a cat that is fixated on their front door.

 

[clifffaith]

Now the eyes have been blotted out so the cat’s pupals don’t show, luckily on glass and Vicki tested it to be sure it will wipe up. She lost it and burst into tears on another visit to Health Services (she has family and her own health issues on her mind today too), and they’ve asked her to leave it as is for now.

 

[clifffaith]

FYI, these are the same people who we suspected “vandalized” the elevator area too. Our closest elevator was out for about five weeks making for a detour if we wanted to collect mail or go to the car. It was a PITA, especially when returning with groceries. First the out of service signs were written on (“ when going to fix?”) in black marker, then when those were replaced numerous times and were finally put up high enough as to not be reachable, the wall itself (!) was written on in black marker. And then arrows to other elevators were drawn on the walls, mostly in ink but some black marker. I suspect the wife because the husband has his hands firmly planted on his walker.

 

[clifffaith]

One of my first thought is that there could be something cultural in play here. There are some societies who believe that when you take a photograph of a person or animal, you capture a part of their soul as well as their physical image. If so, the picture would be the soul of a cat that is fixated on their front door.

The problem actually started when the cat picture was moved from her alcove facing from one entry hall wall to the other, to the outside wall facing the neighbor’s door. But about midway through the “falling off the wall” issues, she moved it back to its original alcove spot to see if she could get it to stay up, not realizing they were taking it down. But now the neighbor is fixated on it, I think.

 

[BJRSanDiego]

It's a nice cat picture. It's a shame that someone is so thoughtless.

 

[dioxide45]

So the entryway of each resident's room is open to all residents?

 

[clifffaith]

So the entryway of each resident's room is open to all residents?

Each apartment has an alcove off the hallway. It is imperative to have a little table of some sort for people to leave cards (thank you cards are big here!), gifts and treats. I won’t leave baked goods for you on the floor so if you don’t answer the door you miss out!

 

[VacationForever]

Yikes. Definitely unneeded drama.

 

[Patri]

Home needs cameras. The lady could be charged with vandalism if they had proof, or kicked out, or moved to stricter care.

 

[Patri]

Each apartment has an alcove off the hallway. It is imperative to have a little table of some sort for people to leave cards (thank you cards are big here!), gifts and treats. I won’t leave baked goods for you on the floor so if you don’t answer the door you miss out!

The alcoves are cute, and should be considered private space, not like a hallway. Therefore, trespassing!

 

[davidvel]

Home needs cameras. The lady could be charged with vandalism if they had proof, or kicked out, or moved to stricter care.

Agree, some nest or similar cams need to be set up. Probably one up high in the hall facing both tenants' doors. Though doubtful they will since the perpetrator seems obvious and they are too timid to do anything.

 

[clifffaith]

Update:
“2 safety guys came up. At first they told me to just remove it.
I refused. They went over and talked to the Lins. They readily admitted it was them. Said in their culture it was bad luck or something to have the eyes staring at them when they came out their door. The solution was to move it to the other side of the wall. Safety moved the pictures around for me. Do not know what they will do when they walk down the hall the other way but I have done what was asked of me. Nothing was said about telling them it is not OK to vandalize someone else’s property! “

Of course I (Faith) think we should all hang pictures with eyes at our doors!

 

[b2bailey]

Several weeks ago I cat sat Gypsy down the hall while her mother Vicki was in Texas for five days. When Vicki returned she asked if I’d noticed her painting of Gypsy missing from her entryway (most of us old ladies have small tables and seasonal decor at our doors). Didn’t notice the painting as being missing but had seen the empty nail at some point. Couple hours later she tells me it must have fallen off the new nail she’d had maintenance put up for her just before she left, because she’d just found the painting tucked behind her little table (like it had fallen and someone tucked it safely away).

Next day, painting tucked behind table again. That started a round of visits from maintenance and purchases from Amazon trying to get the painting to stay up. In the last few days painting has migrated to the floor of the next door neighbor’s entry, twice. Then that neighbor was able to tell Vicki that she’d seen the across the hall neighbor acting suspiciously, and then a piece of masking tape was found on the painting. At that point Vicki reported the suspicious neighbor to Health Services as unfit for independent living (they are a Chinese couple who moved in a year ago and have rejected friendly overtures from everyone including our Chinese community). Yesterday Vicki put up a “do not touch” sign over the painting in both Chinese and English. Below is what she found this morning, and my suggestion as to what she should put up instead. Obviously one or both of the neighbors have issues with Gypsy staring at them!
View attachment 125977
View attachment 125978

I'm confused. Do neighbors have to enter Vicky's apartment to see the painting?

 

[DeniseM]

No - see post #11.

 

[clifffaith]

I'm confused. Do neighbors have to enter Vicky's apartment to see the painting?

Gypsy has been on multiple walls and is now not visible when the superstitious folks first open their door.

 

[Krteczech]

Good reading of good writing. Thanks for sharing this story.

 

[wackymother]

If my cat picture was constantly being moved/vandalized, I would take my picture inside. The neighbors sound pretty off--why feed the drama? And I would be mighty careful with the actual cat, too.

 

[TheHappyWanderer]

It's a cultural thing and/or she just has personal issues. Not that the lady is in the right, but it might be easier just to hang something else. Be the bigger person. Life is too short. I'm all for standing up for yourself and not being bullied but this probably isn't the time.

 

[mentalbreak]

Are the neighbors living there against their will and trying to get kicked out?

 

[clifffaith]

Are the neighbors living there against their will and trying to get kicked out?

Who knows. They have family that visits regularly. But since they moved in most of us have thought they were probably better suited to assisted, rather than independent, living. First time fire alarms went off at night they somehow got themselves down the stairs with his walker, when the instructions are to shelter in place. After I heard about that, the next time the alarms went off at 2am I stationed myself outside their door and as soon as the door opened I told them to go back inside and I didn’t go back to my room until the all clear was given. They (really she) has rejected help/instruction with how things like activities schedules and dining options, and the other Chinese ladies on our floor seem to have been insulted by having their help brushed off.

 

[davidvel]

Odd how "Chinese" keeps being brought up.