optimista

Undocumented anecdotal side-effect of the virus (JohnG was on the right track but too much of a scholar to go there): those of us who were not already deadly boring old hearts before 2020 have joined the last fully functioning social club. May I extend a farty welcome to all newcomers. I recommend avoiding leeks, beans and cabbage varieties if you wish to avoid the condition becoming even worse.

  They wouldn't dare to have an official policy, written or otherwise. But at the end of the day it's individuals who have the power to implement lists on the ground as they see fit. Men in uniforms. With a little bit of power. As you found out when it came to getting on a flight. Someone has to be last of course. And it stinks. Sadly, it's the way of the world.

My almost 80-year old neighbour had AZ. Less than 24 hours later he was taken to hospital with an embolism and heart attack. Which is disturbing.

  Excuse me, but is it possible someone higher up doesn't like you very much ?   Challenge only you can fix? Or poisoned chalice?

Damn.

  I am really sorry to read this. You find yourself in an extreme situation through no fault of your own. I am sure you did not knowingly choose at the outset to live with such a disaster specimen. Now you need to take extreme measures to get yourself out of it. Life is not fair and it shouldn't be this way. But if - and it is a big if - this guy leaves, you likely will not have heard the last of him. Much as it pains you and difficult as it will be, surely the cleverest move is for you to leave. Nothing is more important than your safety. And you don't want to depend on the police, your landlord or anyone else for that in this sadly very imperfect, real world. Druggy and psycho. Anything, literally anything, could happen. You are in danger. Don't underestimate it. Channel your energies into getting out soonest.   I wish you better luck with your next room mate. On balance, a woman would perhaps be a safer option for many reasons.

Thank you Auntie. Think the book's been done before. Asterix has been there too... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kg-HNYCJQ1U  

  You bet. Invite your hausmeister to take a dump in your bathroom. Ask him why he is so blatantly taking the piss.  

One of the last things my German FIL said to us on his death bed. Nutzt den Staat richtig aus. He was a soldier in WWII so I guess that coloured his perspective somewhat.

  That would certainly be a nice little test of the caller's credibility...   I am not a lawyer nor do I have any experience of wrapping up people's affairs in Germany, however...   I wonder why it took the bank so long - or how long it took the bank - to stop payments. I would expect a dead person's accounts - particularly current accounts - to be frozen pretty quickly. Not months later. That rings alarm bells. I would also expect the deceased financial obligations to cease upon death. I'm guessing that all contracts - written or verbal - would cease and this without observing notice periods. A better informed TTer will be along shortly...   Then I would be asking myself what authority the caller has to demand repayment. He may or may not be the executor of the will. If he is not the executor - and you would want proof of that - he can go whistle. Even if he is the executor it is probably not worth the hassle for him to get a lawyer onto you for such a small sum. On the other hand, what price peace of mind if he turns out to be annoyingly persistent?   And finally... in your worst dreams you could pay this man off, and then someone else could come along asking for repayment...  

When there isn't enough to go round, charity begins at home, surely. That doesn't mean I like our sadly imperfect world.

Vera Brittain's Testament of Youth should be compulsory reading on every school curriculum.

  No thanks.

with second course

Chinese test? Tell me about it? What do I not know?