How To Respond To This

[Phoenix(not)]

Hi,
I live in a house share environment and I think I get along with my four other housemates just fine.... until yesterday morning. I walked out of my room and there was a hand written note on the floor. This is exactly what it said i.e. no typo's on my part.

[Begin]
Play and Get into my pirvecy you

I'ts a Small world with tos of us less of you – al tho you can see us all. I wish you Do.

I am here not for you and What you have done to my People . but not Just Close to my job .

So then if you want to play Games with me, I will Give you what you need and show you what can be done, I don't have plans or attetion to harm Dear, harm you so do you?? Mind your own shit.
[End]

I had no idea how to interpret this. Maybe that's the emotional numbing so I took a photo of it and sent it to three people I am close with. All three think it is "scary" and I only know it has rattled me. Based on what others told me, I sent a copy to the landlord but he thinks it's nothing to be concerned about. He asked me to ask all others if they knew about it. I did that and all of them said no. One female expressed grave concern that someone in the house would write this. Everyone has at least a Bachelors degree (one is doing her PhD).

So it looks like no action or further enquiry will happen. But I am still rattled that someone did not at least say "I'm sorry about that I was drunk or something". I am an affable guy and thought until yesterday that the lifestyle here was totally friction free i.e. we all get along fine and have peacful enjoyment of life (as they say here).

My question to those of you that care to, is should I be rattled about this? or discount it and hope that over time it will be merely an odd event? The reason I ask is those close to be are really concerned and I am incapable of being impartial and am immobilised to act or not act.

I hope I have explained clearly. Right now, it is occupying every moment of the day and it's wearying. I'd like the matter to go away or resolve.

Feedback gratefully accepted.
(I do have PTSD and have been living usually in a more settled state for the last few years)

 

[Truthful_Whispers]

Either someone can't spell worth a damn, or they were high or drunk. I wouldn't worry about it. Write "Kiss My Ass" beneath it.

 

[Phoenix(not)]

This is what at first glance it would appear to be (illiterate/drunk/drugged) but all four are highly intelligent people (2 with Bachelors and 2 with Masters degrees with one doing a PhD). So these are deliberate errors intended to appear this way ... or I am becoming paranoid? I think it is a psychological "game". Right now I am thinking I will go to Police Station tomorrow and report this as an incident. A second disturbed night of sleep for me :- (. It is times like this I feel so vulnerable how PTSD turned my life upside down.

 

[Truthful_Whispers]

This is what at first glance it would appear to be (illiterate/drunk/drugged) but all four are highl...

It is probably playing on your hypersensitivity. If it makes you feel more secure to report it to the authorities, I would definitely do so.

 

[Neverthesame]

Do you know who it was that left the note?

It does appear that whoever wrote it is only functionally literate.

I'll take a guess at deciphering it.

Play and Get into my pirvecy you

- The writer feels that you have been too nosey about a personal matter.
- Or they are perhaps, describing their fondness of foreplay.

I'ts a Small world with tos of us less of you – al tho you can see us all. I wish you Do.

- The writer wishes to make a comparison regarding the current population density between two or more ethnic groups.
- Or they may have installed a two-way mirror somewhere in the residence.

I am here not for you and What you have done to my People . but not Just Close to my job .

- Beats the hell out of me. This doesn't make a lick of sense.

So then if you want to play Games with me, I will Give you what you need and show you what can be done, I don't have plans or attetion to harm Dear, harm you so do you??

- The writer feels that you have the potential to be defiant of their request for privacy. They wish to discuss what possible consequences may result from such action. They also seem interested in avoiding a physical confrontation, instead preferring opening a written dialogue. As this will give them the opportunity to practice their grammar and spelling.

- Or they are skilled at the game of checkers, have recently acquired a board and pieces. Now they wish to play against you in the hopes of increasing your skill level with the game.

Mind your own shit.

- The writer feels that you perhaps have a short term memory disorder of some sort. They have taken the courtesy of reminding you that they wish for the current interpersonal communication between you, to revert to a more formal one than exists currently.
- Or, you forgot to flush the loo.

Personally I don't think you need to be overly worried. Though I would keep an eye on the person, to see if it appears that the situation is escalating.

 

[Phoenix(not)]

Thank you one and all for your input here. It is appreciated. I can see too it is balanced and objective which is why I thought to post here about this incident.

Because one of the flatmates is really disturbed that any one of us got this kind of letter, I have withdrawn it from the noticeboard
I have not been nosy, judgemental nor anything but appropriately friendly (but aloof). I am quite multi-cultural as I have lived and worked in 3 continents and worked with many ethnicities. I am English born but migrated many years ago. The housemates are NZ Euro Male, Zimababwe male and 2 Indonesian Females (one Muslim, one Christian). All but the first listed has expressed apparently genuine concern and commented on the structure of the note and expressing bafflement as to the motive. The fist person listed merely denied having seen it before with a simple "No".

I have today withdrawn the note as all are aware and I will do nothing more. If I pursue it to conclusion or involve Police it will just drag on and mean more anxiety and distress. Thanks again.

 

[Neverthesame]

I hope I didn't come off as blaming you, I was trying to be humorous. As how it this note was described, drew the mental image in my head of a ransom note from a children's cartoon show. I almost expected you to say it came tied to a brick.

It is very strange that you would receive something like that in a house full of people with a post secondary education.

Being a share environment home, is there a cleaning staff? Or handyman?

It is most strange that someone would go to such a ludicrous extreme when it seems that communication between the other tenants and yourself is relatively open, and able to be conducted in a one on one manner.

Once again I apologize if I came across as rude or condescending, this just sounds like a comically bizarre situation.

 

[Friday]

Linguistically...
- "It's a small world" indicates a native english speaker, or someone who has spent a lot of time in the west.
- "My people" indicates a minority group.
-"No intention* (attention) to harm" implies very little experience with the law / but otherwise respecting it as a rule (probably middle class); seasoned criminals either wouldn't care about the police (knowing they couldn't be identified from the note / it's not a big-fish item & they could easily deny it), or would know enough that just saying anything about harm is enough / "I'm not gonna rip your guts out" is still conserved a threat, you can argue the not until the cows come home and it doesn't matter.
- Poor grammar & line style indicates teenager-20s... But could also be older. Just less likely.
- Tos = "Two*" of us less than you = group was turned down or sent away? It's specific to an event where there were two people who felt slighted.... But if tos = "Those of us less than you." It really hints more at them seeing you & they as belonging to different class structures... With yours ahead of theirs. Either more money, more power, more authority, more "something" than they view themselves as having. ((This reeeeeally doesn't have to be accurate. I've had people with far more money than I have accuse me of being wealthy because I travel. Especially hilarious when I was homeless/broke/hitchhiking. But they saw anyone as having just gotten back from wherever as "must be nice to have money". :rolleyes: The important thing is not your actual stations in life, but what they per over your station to be.))

There's more in there...<grin> some already posted by @Neverthesame ... But right now this is reading to me that a student one of y'all is teaching (Anyone a TA?) or a client/customer at work... Is pissed off at one of y'all. Or someone's younger sibling that someone broke up with, maybe? That they blame the breakup on race/religion/economic status, etc.? Or got fired because of a complaint made to their boss? The inequal status / they believe you're more powerful than they are... Just drips and oozes off the thing.

I wouldn't worry, unless more followed. Leaving a note is a really non-confrontational / scaredy cat way of mouthing off to someone... And their fear of law enforcement doesn't make me think they'll do more than this note *UNLESS* they start easing themselves in (more notes, then some petty vandalism while no one is home, then harassment while people sleep... You get the drift. Baby steps, to bolster their general cowardice & fear of confrontation.).

 

[Phoenix(not)]

Again thank you all. The support value from responders is truly appreciated, No one said anything that troubled me in any way and everyone added something insightful and objective (which is just what I need). The balanced replies and observations means it can be only one person. Only one is a native English speaker, there was a trivial incident a little while ago when I objected to him taking the communal/shared heater from the lounge into his room, leaving the lounge without a heater (it's just moved into Spring here) and he is a little weird asking odd questions like "have I heard of IS" . I can think of no other even trivial conflict. I'll not act but will ensure all interactions are with great caution.

When I asked each possible person, I paid attention to how they responded. Three were concerned and wanted to examine the note and even commented on it. One only took the briefest glance and said "No" [he had not seen it before].

I did go to the Police and stated I have received an anonymous letter that concerns me and asked them to record the incident in case there is some escalation. I already reasoned they would not act upon it and stated I had asked all four others. Police were very understanding and empathetic about it so for now I am less anxious about this and am comforted by the fact that any escalation will be responded to immediately by Police.

Many, many thanks to all. You helped me a lot.

 

[Changing4Best]

I'm wondering if there is any possibility that someone outside your house could have gotten in, knows which room you live in and put it by your door?

 

[Phoenix(not)]

It's not impossible but the front door has a combination lock which is changed every time a person moves out. So the only people that know the combiination are the current residents and the owners. This has been suggested by one resident (the one I suspect), but ruled out as unlikely because too many chances of being discovered. I learned yesterday the owner has figured out who did it by comparing handwriting, but he has not responded to my request about who it is. I think the best outcome is the person is revealed and makes an apology to me and all other house residents.

I have asked the owner who it is a second time (email and SMS) and pointed out the Police do consider the letter to be a threat. I am disappointed I have not heard back from them. It's not nice looking at each individual and wondering "is it him/her".

Do you think a public apology will be acceptable in closing this festering sore?

 

[Kintsugi]

Friday did an amazing investigation.

How was the handwriting? Was it stable on a line?

Just seems so much like something someone would write while tripping to me. I don't care how literate you are; tripping will make you write some wacky shit depending on your headspace. However, tripping also makes my writing kinda ever everywhere, and it's chicken scratch (more than usual, of course ;)).