Don't argue with a lawyer.

[ennierda]

I confronted my roommate when he came home tonight, rather than confine our discussion to email. I was pissed, but didn't start yelling or anything. Are we really having this big deal over a cutting board that might cost you $2.50? I asked. He just pointed back at me that I was the one making a big deal out of it.

I am not pleased with how the argument went. As a philosophy teacher, I should not be reacting with so much anger. He remained perfectly calm, as a philosopher should, and kept repeating that he sincerely wanted to know the answers. It was unsettling; a little like trying to argue with Socrates himself.

After going round and round several times, we each had a breakthrough: He was not actually concerned about the cutting board that had so upset me; he was merely using it as a "test case" because somehow the fire extinguisher that he had loaned to the house had gone off and it was going to be expensive to replace. For my part, I finally got through to him when I pointed out that he had repeatedly used the word "donate" in his email with regards to the cutting board, which implied that he never expected to see any recompense for the cutting boards. The fire extinguisher, however, had not been donated.

So in the end, I win on the cutting board (by matching pettiness with pettiness), but it looks as though he will win big on the fire extinguisher.

I am now exhausted. I don't really know why this was such a big deal to me.

I will resume apartment-hunting tomorrow.

Comments

[ennierda.livejournal.com]

@ Xris: Well, I'm self-taught and am far better at handling arguments when written (i.e., the internet) than in person, so I'm surprised I hung on to the argument until the point where we each had a realization, rather than quitting to go hide in my room. I had some really bad news yesterday, and think the anger over it may have put some extra fight in me.

@Lora: The part where it may be the landlord's responsibility is very true, and I intend to call him regarding it. What really gets to me over this whole incident is that he "donated" and "loaned" all of these items BEFORE any of us moved in, meaning that we have no way of verifying his claims.

@Matt: This may be incredibly helpful. If there is no charge for refilling, then the argument may go into limbo long enough for me to move the fuck out. Horay for avoidance.

On the other hand, he did say he wanted to set a precedent.

I find the whole thing fucked up. Lawyers have no humanity (except for Jeff.)