DEAR ABBY: My roommate owns the house. His girlfriend and her two children are over here all day, every day. I have my own living room, office and bedroom, and we share the kitchen and bathroom.
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I'm clean and respectful and try to mind my own business. The problem is, neither of them work. They drink heavily every day and then scream and fight for hours. Since COVID-19, they have been drinking even more and fighting constantly. Sometimes it gets physical.
My roommate is a verbally abusive drunk, and his girlfriend threatens to leave when he starts abusing her kids, but doesn't follow through. I have intervened a couple of times on behalf of the children, but there's only so much I can do.
Lately, they've been screaming at the top of their lungs about me. I work from home and often customers on the phone hear them drop F-bomb after F-bomb. I'm afraid their behavior will lead to me losing my job. They're also up until 2 or 3 a.m. every night fighting, which keeps me from sleeping (even with earplugs).
I'm completely stressed out and starting to get depressed. I'm not sure what to do. I have limited funds, so moving would be difficult. I'm wondering if you have any suggestions so I can weather the storm. -- BAD SITUATION IN UTAH
DEAR BAD SITUATION: This storm isn't going to end. I feel for the children whose mother doesn't protect them from her abusive boyfriend. The result will be they will think they deserve the mistreatment they are receiving, which may affect them for the rest of their lives.
I am not sure there is a way to "weather" the storm. Because these addicts cannot control their behavior, and it is affecting the way your clients perceive you, it would be better to get out of there. If possible, go live temporarily with a friend or relative until you find affordable alternative living quarters. Your job may depend on it.