Dirty, rotten scoundrels

I had a feeling of trepidation all day. And rightly so.

I have not been paid. I get one job paid in cash and the other direct into my account and then I pay my rent in cash because it's too much to ask to create a direct debit. But the 'cash' job couldn't pay me today due to a technical problem, so I had to depend on the other job having paid me as expected. But Spain does not have a specific pay day - you have to expect it anytime between 1st-10th of the month. Plus, the pay slips would be helpful but of course the postman doesn't bother delivering them. The landlady does not understand these problems, so I keep having to withdraw money at high commission from my UK account to appease her irrational need to have the rent on the 1st of the month, even though I moved in on the 12th.

I have tried to avoid using my English account, and this month I actually said I couldn't pay until today. So I went to my local cash point (I considered going to the farther away one because it dispenses with no trouble, whereas the nearest one just sometimes won't dispense money, because Juan forgot to fill it up). Should have known - it said it could not dispense the money. I don't know if that's because I still haven't been paid or it's just not working.

Anyway, resigned to the fact that I would have to go to another Spanish bank and pay commission (7 euros) I walked a couple of metres along the street to another cashpoint. Two lads were standing there, turned around and starting saying something to me but I couldn't quite understand. I apologised and smiled and then they started shouting in my face. At which point I turned to leave and a random person bumped into me as I hurried off to yet another cashpoint. When I got there I realised I no longer had my card. I checked everything - every pocket, my entire bag, re-traced my steps but it became obvious that at some point someone had just grabbed my card when I was distracted.

So, I had to again use my English card to withdraw money to pay my rent. Then I waited in for the landlady who'd said she'd come at 9pm, which we confirmed in both Spanish and English. My friend Steve at this point turned up for support and helped me cancel the card. Landlady didn't show (and we were waiting so we could go to the Police) so we rang her after waiting for half an hour, and she said she was coming at 10pm. We told her what happened and said we needed to go to the Police, so she's coming tomorrow (oh great another evening waiting in just because a direct debit is too much to ask for) and then we went to the Police Station.

Waiting in the Police Station was worse than being robbed. I sat there getting steadily more and more hysterical (inside). So we left. I'll report it on the phone tomorrow. There were about 9 people waiting and no-one seeing them. No information. Just institutional yellowy-green walls with black damp spreading up them and a man who kept playing with his phlegm.

So that's my day. All because Spain cannot arrange to pay people on the same day of every month.

I cannot wait to go to a country that functions.

I'm going to bed to dream of owning a rocket launcher, and spending the day firing it at cars and people who annoy me. Michael Douglas. Falling Down. Great film.

There's a chance I also have PMS, which isn't helping.



This is how I feel. And it's pretty much how I look right now if I'm honest.