[creepyhomemaker]

Scatterbrains, just curious what do you do for a living? And do you do that living for personal gain? Thought so.

So yes I am trying to collect the rent. I live on profits as you might live on wages, tips or commissions. I do always have that in my mind. I want to find good people to be my tenants but in the case of this house, I was also looking at her as a possible neighbor. She seemed like a wonderful woman who is in her last year of college to be a teacher. That boy loves her very much. But he does have a problem with Halloween. He has to have therapy and living in Nashville is more than they can afford.

Beacuse of the recent tornadoes there really isn't that many places to rent and the ones that are available are mobile homes. My houses do not stay vacant for more than a few days. But I like to find what I feel like is the right person. Especially for this house because it is so close to mine.

If you do not understand all of my reasoning that's fine but don't tell me I don't care about the well being of this kid. You know sometimes the tenant wants the house badly too. She drove 4 hours just to come here to finalize eveything. I didn't know about the boy's acual problem until the last few minutes. Honestly I just didn't know what to say. So I did what I usually never do. I said not one word of Halloween. That is how I plan to handle it for now.
I will play it by ear from now on. Like I said before he will probably not know anything is going on. In fact I never really thought he would. I posted this originally because I just could not believe the irony of the situation.

Oh and I hope someone with a Halloween phobia moves right next door to you. BYE BYE HALLOWEEN. I doubt it or perhaps you could move. You would want to do the right thing after all.

 

[Brewgirl]

I think what you are doing is fine. I would do the same thing. And, it is obvious that you care about this kid otherwise you wouldn't have started this thread. Just let the family know in October what is going on and I wouldn't even make it out to be a big deal. From the look of the pics, you are far enough away that he wouldn't see anything. And as for the sounds, the family can explain them to him I am sure. And if it is a problem, then they can leave for the time being. I am sure they would not expect you to completely cancel what you love to do every year. These issues can be worked out.

Good luck. I am sure all will be well!

 

[Scatterbrains]

Scatterbrains, just curious what do you do for a living? And do you do that living for personal gain? Thought so.

So yes I am trying to collect the rent. I live on profits as you might live on wages, tips or commissions. I do always have that in my mind. I want to find good people to be my tenants but in the case of this house, I was also looking at her as a possible neighbor. She seemed like a wonderful woman who is in her last year of college to be a teacher. That boy loves her very much. But he does have a problem with Halloween. He has to have therapy and living in Nashville is more than they can afford.

Beacuse of the recent tornadoes there really isn't that many places to rent and the ones that are available are mobile homes. My houses do not stay vacant for more than a few days. But I like to find what I feel like is the right person. Especially for this house because it is so close to mine.

If you do not understand all of my reasoning that's fine but don't tell me I don't care about the well being of this kid. You know sometimes the tenant wants the house badly too. She drove 4 hours just to come here to finalize eveything. I didn't know about the boy's acual problem until the last few minutes. Honestly I just didn't know what to say. So I did what I usually never do. I said not one word of Halloween. That is how I plan to handle it for now.
I will play it by ear from now on. Like I said before he will probably not know anything is going on. In fact I never really thought he would. I posted this originally because I just could not believe the irony of the situation.

Oh and I hope someone with a Halloween phobia moves right next door to you. BYE BYE HALLOWEEN. I doubt it or perhaps you could move. You would want to do the right thing after all.

I have no problem with you trying to make a buck. Everyone has their own personal ethics that they chose to live by. But even you admit you didn't mention Halloween which is something you always do. Seems like your first priority was the check. Your comments about why you selected them speak volumes: They were wonderful made plenty of money, sweet, clean and everything they wrote on their application was correct

As for neighbors moving in, well, I'm not a landlord/real estate agent, so unless they come asking me about the neighborhood, I probably wouldn't converse with them until after they moved in, and if they had a problem with Halloween, that would be their problem.

My thoughts are that you feel kinda guilty about what you did, so you come to the rah rah group for absolution...then again, maybe you don't feel any guilt.

 

[Brewgirl]

I am sure her first priority would be the check. Considering she has a family to feed/support as well. But she is also concerned with the child too. And again, Halloween will never be completely out of this kids life, unfortunately. Just taking extra precautions around Halloween time would be the right thing to do for everyone. And I think that is what she will be doing.

 

[hallorenescene]

i think you are a very caring person. i can see how if it was thrown at you it might take you back and you wouldn't know what to say. just blurting out something in a situation like this might not have been good. but i do feel since they did share it's nice if you share. there's a good chance she might already know about your haunt and are ready to deal with it. i think if you went to her and cleared the air it should work out. save you on a lot of stress. just explain you were surprised by it and didn't know what to say. tell her how far apart your property lies and that you feel there shouldn't be a problem. i wouldn't offer to send them off, that is almost like saying there is a problem. let them make arrangements of their own. i think it will all work out, but honesty is the best. anyway, best of luck to all of you.

 

[Son-of-Thing]

Now, I'm not a psychologist, and don't want to go too far out on the limb here, but --

Might it be considered to let the kid help work on the your show? I know that one of the most successful ways I overcame many of my earliest fears was by getting involved behind the curtain, so to speak, and learning about the technical side of Halloween's illusions...

The kids in my neighborhood have always enjoyed seeing how I rig / paint / light things around here, many have helped, and it's added to their enjoyment on "show night".

I do understand the gravity of this kid's trauma, but it just may help him, in the long run, to be able to separate Halloween fantasy from real-life tragedy. Again, I'm not a psychologist, nor of course am I personally familiar with those involved here. Just trying to make some possibly helpful suggestion, that may be somewhat proactive for all parties...

 

[hallorenescene]

son of thing, i agree with your idea. my daughter and i went through a trauma, and i didn't shield her from it. i just slowly introduced her back into it. it's like they say, you fall off a horse you need to get back on. of coarse you're not going to get back on and barrel down the road, but will test the waters again. i guess the bottom line is, who's right and who's wrong who knows. just follow your instincts and hope for the best.

 

[creepyhomemaker]

My thoughts are that you feel kinda guilty about what you did, so you come to the rah rah group for absolution...then again, maybe you don't feel any guilt.

I don't feel any guilt. Sad for him yes. Guilty no. Perhaps I should rewrite my lease and with the lead paint disclosure form and insurance opt out, I should include a Halloween warning form. It's just not something that has ever come up.

Your comments about why you selected them speak volumes: They were wonderful made plenty of money, sweet, clean and everything they wrote on their application was correct

Yea. Duh. If they don't make money how am I going to get mine?

 

[Scatterbrains]

Yea. Duh. If they don't make money how am I going to get mine?

Thanks for agreeing with me

 

[creepyhomemaker]

ok, so the boy's mom is meeting me at the house in a few minutes. I am going to tell her about my haunted house and my halloween party. I still don't know how to bring it up.

 

[Ugly Joe]

Try to plan it out together, perhaps?

Let her know your passion, and that you're acutely aware of the boy's fears, and want to plan how to make this something that will not be horrible for either of you?
After all, you are giving almost 5 months for a "head's up".

 

[Toetag]

Just say it bold and to the point. It easy no sugar coating it...and its the truth so....

Good luck and if she freaks tell her you will work something out and id like to second or 3rd what others said like involve him in maybe he will see thats its all make believe and wont think that way anymore with halloween and his hard times. Sometimes a little brute force is ok to help him push through things. Kinda like me with spiders and heights i used to be terrified but i am over comming them.

Again good luck.

 

[Junit]

Just so everyone is clear. I am not standing by the road in the summer like John Wayne Gacy handing out balloons. My haunt is in the woods. So no one can see it unless they drive up my 1/4 mile drive way. And walk into the woods. It cannot be seen from the road or from this boys house. or anyone's house including mine if the trees have leaves. No one knows it's there except for the people who have been in it or know of someone who has. This is not a drive by haunt. The only children that go into it are either my children when they want to scare their friends or kids of people who come to visit. I will turn everything on and take them in. But I will not take him in. For the most part he probably will never know. He will hear the sounds because people who lived there before we bought it (when we were only neighbors) complained. But if he is not there he will not hear.

I didn't mean to suggest that you would send him through or even invite him, i'm sure you wouldn't do that. I meant more that if you have sound effects, or if the kids who go through your haunt scream, that he would be able to hear the sounds and be upset. And if it is during the summer he will more than likely be home as it will be summer break from school.

 

[Junit]

Good luck with the meeting, I hope you are able to work things out, and keep your tenants.

 

[creepyhomemaker]

Ok so I took her to the side and told her that in those woods there is a haunted house that we run at our Halloween party on the Sat. before Halloween. I told her he wouldn't see anything but that there was a pretty good chance he might hear something. She did look distraught but then she shook her head and in her very southern accent said " It don't matter" She told me that what usually bothers him the most are trick or treaters.

Apparently her sister or friend I can't remember which also did a haunted house one year in her garage. The boy was ok with it as far as hearing it and knowing it was there but he wasn't ok when they tried to get him to go in. (not his mom but her sister) She felt that she could get him over it by her husband chasing him around with a chainsaw. Anyway that evidently didn't go well so she is still mad at her sister and her husband. No one here is going to do anything to that boy so he will be o.k. and there are no trick or treaters

I knew that the only evidence of Halloween he was going to get here was the sounds from my haunt so that's why I never said anything. But I still feel bad for him, because to me as all of you, Halloween is such a positive fun thing and he may never feel that way.

 

[Halloweeeiner]

I think thats a bad idea, I have a feeling come October he's going to damage the spirir of Halloween on that block.. IMO at least

 

[hallorenescene]

you did the right thing telling her. i think he will eventually with love and understanding make it through this. sounds like he's got a good mom. i can't believe his aunt and uncle chased him with a chainsaw. i don't think i would trust them around him without my supervision ever again. whatever were they thinking. anyway, have fun at halloween, and good luck with everything.

 

[Junit]

Glad to hear it went well!

 

[Warrant2000]

I'm glad to hear it's all out in the open. You did the right thing by being up front with them. It's sad the boy has had terrible trauma, but don't let it dampen your Halloween spirit!

 

[Scatterbrains]

I'm glad to hear it's all out in the open. You did the right thing by being up front with them. It's sad the boy has had terrible trauma, but don't let it dampen your Halloween spirit!

Ditto that!