Woman Living In An Apartment Building Unsure What To Do When Neighbor Asks Her Not To Use The Bathroom In The Morning
Her neighbor claimed she liked to sleep in but was disturbed by her bathroom use every morning.
Ground Picture | Shutterstock You know the saying, "Good fences make good neighbors?" There's a reason people say that, and one woman learned that lesson in the most bizarre way.
The woman was dumbfounded after receiving a bizarre request from her apartment neighbor regarding her bathroom habits.
Writing to the advice column "Miss Manners," a friend of the unnamed woman claimed that the older woman and her neighbor were at odds because her morning bathroom routine was disruptive.
A woman was unsure what to do when her neighbor asked her not to use the bathroom in the morning.
"A friend asked for advice on how to deal with a neighbor asking her to be quiet. My friend, who is in her 60s, recently moved into an apartment. She met a neighbor who asked if she was an early riser, and she responded 'Yes,' the friend began.
"The neighbor then told her she was too loud on the stairs and that she used the bathroom too often."
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The neighbor claimed that her morning habits prevented them from sleeping in.
Not wanting to cause any issues with her neighbor, the older woman promised that she'd try to be more mindful of her noise levels.
She's started holding onto the railing while walking up and down the stairs, but the steps are made of metal and concrete and simply make noise regardless of how carefully she steps.
On top of that, she simply can't just change her bathroom habits to accommodate her neighbor. The woman's friend questioned how the older woman should handle another confrontation with her neighbor if it were to happen again, pointing out that she was trying to be as respectful as possible.
Frankly, she's being more considerate than the neighbor deserves. It's a bit of an absurd request to demand that a person living in their own apartment change up their bathroom habits to accommodate someone living in an entirely different apartment.
Perhaps this woman should be demanding that her neighbor change their sleeping habits to accommodate her preference for getting up early.
Living in an apartment building means dealing with noise from neighbors.
The truth is that living in an apartment building means dealing with the noise levels of the people in the neighboring units.
Unless they're extremely loud and obnoxious during the late hours of a Monday night, you can't really dictate how or when someone should be going about their daily routines.
If the noise of a woman in her bathroom is as disruptive as they're claiming, then maybe they should invest in earplugs, a white noise machine, or some other form of soundproofing that can allow them to sleep in for as long as they desire. But requesting someone not to use their bathroom in the morning is unreasonable.
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Apartment living comes with inconveniences sometimes, and that's just the reality of it. As long as you're being aware and mindful, there's not much else that can be done.
Responding to the dilemma, "Miss Manners," explained that being neighborly just means having to manage the behaviors of those living around you, along with the expectations of what it means to be a polite neighbor.
"If the phrasing of the initial meeting was as reported, then your friend was already mistreated when told, rather than requested, to modify her (necessary, normal) behavior."
She continued, "A neighbor who is disinclined to be civil is best kept at a distance. If a literal distance is not possible, then a polite coolness — and excusing oneself quickly from any future chance encounters — will have to suffice."
Nia Tipton is a Chicago-based entertainment, news, and lifestyle writer whose work delves into modern-day issues and experiences.