Day 46: Ready to jump out the window

Between You, Me and the Lamp Post

Day 46: Ready to jump out the window

For the past 30 years or so, I have lived in a condo building and never given much thought to the person in the management office.

To the best of my knowledge, that person was there in case one of the residents had a complaint and in due time that complaint would be taken care of.

Today, I have a newfound respect for people in management offices everywhere. How they put up with the constant stream of complaints, I don’t know.

As a temp, my latest assignment is working for such a management company and I tell you ... if it wasn’t that I worked on the ground floor, I would be ready to jump out the window.

I started in the management office last Thursday and initially the work was fine, if not a little boring. That all changed today.

Earlier this month two men from a fire alarm company came to inspect the units to make sure that the smoke and fire alarms were in working condition. Today, they came back to visit the units where a problem had been found.

All-day long I was getting calls from residents demanding to know when the two men would visit their unit. How was I supposed to know that? I didn’t accompany the men and they didn’t check-in with me.

In addition to this there was a steady stream of visitors to the office, each with their own complaint: a hole in the ceiling needed fixing, something was stuck in the garbage chute, a dead rodent was found in the garden, two people protested a fine they received after not paying their maintenance fees on time. By three o’clock I had enough. Did these people do anything but complaining?

The cherry on the cake came at 3:00 p.m. A man walked in, I guessed him to be in his early 50s, who looked and smelled like a bum. He asked me when the next flea market was to be held. I told him in early October. Could I give him a registration form? I told him that no registration forms were currently available. “Well, if you can’t do the job then why are you here?” he stated.

Next, he told me that he wanted to file a complaint. When I asked him as to the nature of his complaint he barked, “That’s none of your business.” I wasn’t gonna argue with him, but it was my business. How could I address his complaint if I didn't know what it was?

I’m not exactly looking forward to tomorrow and as far as I’m concerned, this assignment can’t be over soon enough. Like I said, I have a newfound respect for condo management office staff everywhere. How they put up with the complaints day in and day out, I don’t know. If I had to do it, I'd jump out the window.