[Gráinne]

I think the events of the last few days prove I should just shut up, because people make no damn sense.

Some background, to make a long story even longer: My daughter (13) is good friends with a fifth-grade girl who lives in the next building, "Hannah". Hannah has a 3rd grade brother who is friends with my son (11). They live with their father.

Downstairs from us is our neighbor, his oldest daughter, OD's two children, OD's boyfriend, neighbor's younger daughter (who goes to school with my daughter), and the boyfriend's younger brother. I don't like neighbor, but he is the supervisor of maitenance for the complex, and so I have to stay on his good side.

So that's the cast of characters.

Last weekend, Hannah asked if she could spend Sunday night at my apartment (Monday was no school). As I understood, her father was going to be out of town all night. I was concerned about this, and so told her that I had to talk to her dad myself to understand. I asked about her brother, and she said he would stay in their apartment with the boyfriend's younger brother, age 14.

I do know that the younger brother has a juvvie record, and I just plain feel hincky around him. He's ridden other kids' bikes (including mine) without permission. I've combated bad language from the kids ever since he's been here. I've discouraged my kids from playing with him.

Nothing more was said about Sunday until Sunday afternoon, when I finally spoke with Hannah's father. He was coming home after all, and I told him I'd just needed to verify where he was going to be before Hannah spent the night. He bristled at this, and said "So she isn't welcome in your home?"

I assured him he was, but I needed to know where a parent was going to be when there was a sleepover. I then said something like, "I'm probably overstepping my bounds, but I do have to say I was concerned about *Hannah's brother* staying with *younger brother*. I felt that *younger brother* was probably not such a hot influence for my own kids, and have discouraged the friendship." Father seemed grateful to hear that, as they are fairly new here and didn't know anyone too well.

Well, according to my daughter, all the sh*t hit the fan. Somehow, the father is angry with me (of course; he probably knows I'd call the authorities if I knew a 14 year old was staying overnight alone with a 9 year old). The family downstairs is angry with me. My daughter is angry with me. Not one adult has come to talk to me; this is all second-hand.

I don't understand people. I know minding my own business isn't my strong suit, but I don't see what I did wrong. My take is everyone knows I will call them on bullshittery and that's what makes them angry. I don't know.

I have so much to do tonight, and all I want to do is curl up and listen to music.