You Broke My Menorah???? (Dresser Queen I think I Hate You)

[Drunken Housewife]

I'm willing to think that Dresser Queen may have some socialization issues (I wonder if she might possibly have Asperger's Syndrome or some other syndrome which causes her to have difficulty understanding emotions and social cues). 

But still, this woman is old enough to be a mother and to live alone.  She should have learned by now that YOU DON'T OPEN PEOPLE'S PACKAGES and you say "I'm sorry" when you break something.  She had absolutely no right to open that package.  Let's say she wanted to find out if she broke it; so what?  She clearly had no intention of trying to fix it or make the situation right by apologizing and offering to replace it.  Since she planned to do nothing if she did break it, she had no right to check to see if it were broken.  I think she was just being nosy, not well-intentioned.

There's a clear pattern of her being nosy and judgmental (why do they leave early in the morning?  Why do they drive their cars in the morning?  Why do they bake bread?  Why do they grow tomatoes? Why do they need their parking spot?). 

I'm willing to think that this woman may have a mental illness (she sounds paranoid, accusing people of stealing her papers and also bringing up more than once her fear that food will be unsafe) or a condition such as Asperger's.  But how much slack does Marina have to cut her?  Not $400 worth of beautiful art glass menorah, in my personal opinion.

That menorah was truly lovely, and I'm sorry this awful neighbor broke it.  I wouldn't recommend personally taking her to small claims court because then you'd have to deal with her, and also it would be problematic collecting from her, no doubt (I doubt she'd write a check willingly).  You'd also probably have to take off time from work.  Small claims court can be a wonderful thing, but is missing work and dealing with the Dresser Queen worth the possibility you might (stress on the MIGHT) get some money from her?  I would personally complain to the HOA (they may need to keep a file on Dresser Queen) and make a sign for my door instructing delivery companies to NOT leave anything with the neighbors.

[kethria]

I'm so sorry this happened.

I second the Target option... I thought this one was cute...

http://www.target.com/Bride-and-Groom-Menorah/dp/B000JG5QYA/sr=1-13/qid=1196280868/ref=sr_1_13/602-8102935-1786227?ie=UTF8&index=target&rh=k%3Amenorah&page=1

In fact I can make a little Dresser Queen figure that you can position under the bride and groom so it looks like they are kicking her...

(shoves evilkethria back in closet)

[Twik]

I really don't get how it could be too heavy for her and she dropped it multiple times.  After the first drop, why not scoot it?  It's a menorah - it can't weigh that much...

Solid glass objects are pretty heavy. But there's something odd about her dropping it repeatedly - wouldn't you think she'd have learned from the first instance?

[Dixie Darlin]

Three words, Marina: Small claims court.

[Tabris]

I really don't get how it could be too heavy for her and she dropped it multiple times.  After the first drop, why not scoot it?  It's a menorah - it can't weigh that much...

Solid glass objects are pretty heavy. But there's something odd about her dropping it repeatedly - wouldn't you think she'd have learned from the first instance?

I looked around online and couldn't find a seller who specified how much the item weighed. (But I found the artist's website, and oooooh....he's got some beautiful glassware.)  But for an item about twelve inches high, I can't see it weighing much more than ten pounds. Add to that the weight of a cardboard box, plus an interior box, plus a lot of packing foam, and you've got what? Fifteen pounds maximum?

Does this woman not carry grocery bags? And she dropped this *repeatedly*?

I would call the police and report her for vandalism, at least to have a record of it but also to pursue later on.

[redsfan]

That is gorgeous.

Neighbor should be broken as well.

This may sound crazy, but I used to work at a Christian shop.  We had a surprising number of menorahs.  They weren't as pretty as the one you picked, but you may be able to find a lesser one just for this year. 

Don't let her ruin your holiday.  She's not worth it. 

[waterwren]

Cicero...I want to thank you so much for your suggestion about the Chabad!!!! I called them to ask where I might be able to purchase one to use for this year and they actual have regular old tin menorahs and candles right there and I am welcome to come get one.

I was really nervous calling because I really didn't know if I was going to ask them something totally outrageous, but they were sooooo nice to me on the phone.

I guess I am so upset because the one we broke last year was the one we'd used since our very first Chanukah together. So we made it a positive and said...well this is our first married Chanukah so we'll get something to celebrate that can last us a lifetime.

And now we wont have it use for the holiday and it just makes it feel "ruined" which I know is childish.

Now I have to work up the nerve to go to the Chabad house.......that is scary to me for some reason.

marina - why are you worried? i am truly NOT into chabad, but they make it their business to "be there" for fellow jews wherever they may be needed. there is a lot that i DON'T like about their style, but I give them credit for being 'an address' for anyone who might need it. are you afraid they might ask you questions or try and absorb you into their community? i doubt that would happen. just be friendly and grateful and "oh, sorry, i'm in such a rush". those tin menorahs are quite flimsy, btw, make sure you put them on a stable fire proof tray or something. (i imagine it's the kind that they give out in kindergartens in israel). get some pretty candles and you will be fine!

And they are very kind no matter who you are. The Priest I work for had car trouble not far from the Chabad house  in Buffalo. He was dressed in THe "Priest shirt and collar" and he walked in - the  gentlemen there,went helped push his car out of the road and Kept him inside while waiting for AAA. They even fed him that night.  Have no fear of going there, please.

[DaeOne]

I looked at the artist's site, and he has some gorgeous pieces! The olive branch motif was my favorite. DH would kick the bucket if I bought a glass object that expensive. He doesn't appreciate the finer things.

[Hijinks]

Not all of that lady's dogs are barkin'

[amaiaisabella]

She stole your mail. I believe that is a federal offense.

[ZipTheWonder]

She stole your mail. I believe that is a federal offense.

Only if the shipper was USPS.  I got the impression it wasn't, but I don't know for sure.

[lamorevincera]

Not all of that lady's dogs are barkin'

The wheel's spinning but the hamster's missing?
She's a few ants short of a picnic?
A few geeks short of a Star Trek convention?

[Tabris]

Not all of that lady's dogs are barkin'

The wheel's spinning but the hamster's missing?
She's a few ants short of a picnic?
A few geeks short of a Star Trek convention?

She's a few fries short of a Happy Meal?
She went to the well once too often?
The runway's a little too short for takeoff?

[IndianInlaw]

It can't have weighed that much for $10 shipping.

[VorFemme]

Not all of that lady's dogs are barkin'

The wheel's spinning but the hamster's missing?
She's a few ants short of a picnic?
A few geeks short of a Star Trek convention?

She doesn't have so much as a tribble at her Star Trek convention...........maybe she got mixed up and invited R2D2 by mistake?  Both would have the word "star" in the title..............

She couldn't throw her hat and hit the ground two times out of three tries..........