Couple Receives Letter From Neighbor Demanding They Stop Cooking ‘Stinky’ Food In Their Apartment
Sometimes apartment living can truly be challenging.
voronaman | Shutterstock A woman turned to Reddit for advice after she and her partner received a letter from a neighbor in their apartment building complaining about the way their food smells. Specifically, this entitled neighbor complained that the chicken fried rice the woman cooked was "stinky."
There's a reason Robert Frost said, "Good fences make good neighbors." Living near anyone is difficult. Apartment living makes it that much worse. But you'd be hard-pressed to find a lease that dictates when and what you can cook in your own kitchen. That means if the smell of garlic turns your stomach, tough. You either learn to deal with it or find a new place to live. This couple doesn't need advice because they aren't doing anything wrong.
A couple received a letter from their neighbor complaining about the 'stinky' food they cook.
The note left by the neighbor, who was later identified as a woman, said that the “stinky food” had woken her up again at 5:30 a.m. “That’s two days in a row!” she wrote. The neighbor went on to complain that she'd been dealing with the smell for months, and that since it’s a close-proximity living space, they shouldn’t be cooking food with strong smells.
Reddit
The woman explained in her post, "Sunday morning I cooked chicken fried rice... The ingredients were garlic, onion, sambal, egg, chicken and kecap manis and then left over rice.. The next morning it was egg fried rice ( we love fried rice ) and spam less sodium .. egg, garlic, left over fried rice, and soy sauce.." Question: How do I get an invite for dinner, because yummmmm?!
She went on to say that if these meals are considered stinky to the neighbor, then her options for cooking are quite limited. She added that she and her partner usually work night shifts, starting at 12 a.m., coming home afterward, and then working again from 6:30 a.m. to about 3 p.m. For that reason, they usually cook in between shifts and again after lunch.
The cranky neighbor is a known complainer in the apartment building.
In an effort to keep the peace, the woman reached out to the property manager to let her know what was going on and to ask if there was anything she could do to prevent the cooking odors from becoming a problem. Unsurprisingly, the manager was well aware of the complaining neighbor and expressed to her that cooking in her own apartment was not a nuisance.
She wrote, "The property manager actually called us and told me she knows who wrote that letter. It's the neighbor right beside us. Apparently, she’s been leaving letters on people’s doors and even in the lift. She’s the only one who has complained, and the building managers themselves don’t like what she’s doing either. They even sent the latest letter (posted in the lift just this morning) to our property manager. The property manager told me to just keep cooking, and if I get another letter, to let her know because that would count as harassment."
Having a bad neighbor can impact your quality of life.
Sweet Life | Unsplash
This woman and her partner seem like genuinely good and caring people, simply trying to go about their daily lives. Unfortunately, other people exist in their proximity who might not be quite as caring or empathetic. That's not their fault, but it can make simply trying to enjoy life difficult.
Health and wellness professional Beth Birenbaum, MPH, explained that there will always be inconsiderate people in life, but keeping your cool and prioritizing your own well-being is how you overcome their bad behavior. She wrote, "Remember, you cannot control the behavior of others, but you can control your own reactions and responses. By prioritizing self-care and setting boundaries, you can protect your well-being and create a healthier environment for yourself."
This couple has done everything right. They didn't lash out. They spoke to their property manager, and they are documenting the incidents with the neighbor. The notes might be a nuisance, but now that they know that they are doing nothing wrong, they can focus on what's important: cooking delicious meals and staying joyful. This neighbor is acting like an entitled bully, and that kind of behavior isn't worth their energy.
In the spirit of kindness and going above and beyond, she said she plans to buy an air purifier to mitigate the cooking odors, and she said they already purchased a portable air hood. This is a mature and respectful way of dealing with the issue. Chances are, this neighbor won't be satisfied no matter what they do, but as Birenbaum said, inconsiderate people are simply a part of life. They shouldn't have the power to bring out the worst in us, and this couple is a testament to the fact that kindness and consideration will always prevail.
Matt Machado is a writer studying journalism at the University of Central Florida. He covers relationships, psychology, celebrities, pop culture, and human interest topics.
