FROZEN FIEFDOM 

IF THE INK ISN'T DRY, DON'T BUY! Legally Binding Agreements Must ALWAYS be in Permanent Ink.

October 22, 2014.    Author's Disclaimer:  I'm not an attorney, and this isn't to be construed as legal advice.  It's good old common sense, and we all make mistakes when in a hurry, or want to be certain we get whatever is being offered.  

As many of us know, there's an old rule about always put agreements in writing and in ink; especially when money or another obligation is involved.  The problem with penciled in terms or numbers, even on an ink printed form, is that it can be erased or modified, without the knowledge of the other party, and the other party may find themselves on the hook for something they didn't sign on for, and become embroiled in an expensive legal dispute and/or a whack to their credit, etc.

I arrived at the property owner's address on time, and phoned him, as I didn't see his vehicle.  He apoligized for the traffic delays, and said he'd arrive soon.  I took a walk down the street, and admired the unique style of many of the homes; it's a nice historic area, and well maintained.  The owner and I met up on the front porch of the main house, and the paperwork shuffle began.  He explained that he had 2 copies of everything, so there wouldn't be any need to make a copy, we would both sign each set. 

DING DING DONG!  My Legal Studies Majors, your attention, please.  All together now; "There's only one original. All others are copies." 

As a tenant, one should receive a copy of all the documents they sign; although I didn't receive a copy of the initial rental application he asked me to complete and sign, but I should have.   

In this modern world, anyone who is running a business, or renting property, has an all in one printer to make copies, or there's an office supply place nearby, or a library, etc.  Papers you sign which obligate you to do something, or as a buyer or seller of anything, should never leave your sight, until you have an exact photocopy of each and every piece, and have a recount and a side by side comparison, to be certain that each sheet is exactly the same as the original agreement you and the other party have both signed.  

So far, I wasn't liking what I was hearing, but I wanted to see what else was on tap, and wasn't disappointed.  As he held the first page of the pile, he said this was a standard Arizona rental agreement, etc., and I immediately noticed that all the important details were written in pencil, including the page with the signature line with his name.  DING DING DONG!  That's a deal breaker right there; the person who is signing the paperwork needs to do it in front of you, and have ID to match.  In this case, I had already used the Maricopa County Assessors database to confirm that he actually owned the property, and had exchanged ID viewings with him on Monday, when I viewed the guest house. 

I held the papers and said, "This is written in pencil."  He paused, and said words to the effect, it was a copy, so it just looks like pencil, but it was ink. 

I'm sure my skeptical eyebrows were obvious, and he pulled out a writing instrument, uncapped it, and used the eraser tip to lightly rub the penciled in term.  I glanced at it, and said, "That's an ink eraser." 

He sorta hemmed and hawed, and I said I had a pencil in my car, and would be right back. I dug around, and couldn't find one in my packed Chariot, and saw that he was in the house, and appeared to be on the phone.  We met back on the porch, and I was reading thru the pages, and said I'd step out into the sunlight to examine them.  He joined me, and said something about how maybe this wasn't going to work out, and I suggested we go over the pencil items in ink, as I really did want to rent the guest house.  He said he didn't want any problems, and I said I didn't either, as I turned and walked to my car, with the papers in my hand.  He followed, and said he wanted the papers back, (I can't imagine why,) and said loudly, "But you haven't signed anything!"  "And I'm not going to," I replied.  I quickly got into my car, and locked the door.  He went back across the street and was saying something, but I had the window up and couldn't hear.  He made the tearing up movement with his hands, as I fired up my Chariot and slowly drove away, back to another night at the Motel 6. 

What a disappointment! and one which probably saved me a boatload of problems. 

 ___________________________________

The stench of long and sticky Elf fingers were all over that debacle, as the emails from Cecil  in my inbox confirmed today. 

I had written this chapter on Wednesday,  evening, and somehow my computer jammed up, and most of the published content had disappeared, when I logged back in.  Unusual, to say the least, as I had saved and published several times as I was writing, and the material had been live on the net, as my other browser window showed.  I'll chalk that disappearing act up to a Solar Flare...yeah, right.

Re: What happened to my enthralling and entertaining newest chapter?

How would you know what color of nail polish I'm wearing, ever?  

Re: What happened to my enthralling and entertaining newest chapter?

IT IS EDUCATING IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BUT AT LEAST NOW IM NOT SOOOO CLUELESS ALBEIT FAR FROM FICTION. ILL NEVER MENTION IT THOUGH EVEN I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE BUT I SPOKE TO AN ATTORNEY ABOUT A YEAR AGO HE ASSURED ME ITS "REALLY HAPPENING" but if you didnt love me why would you clue me in.??????????? im expecting the worst possible outcome but ive not given up hope... im gratefull to you even though you lie and your nail polish doesnt match your outfit "TACKY"
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On Wed, 10/22/14, Paula Rose <paularoseimages@yahoo.com> wrote:

Subject: What happened to my enthralling and entertaining newest chapter?
To: "Cecil Mad>
Date: Wednesday, October 22, 2014, 11:27 PM

I had several paragraphs
all saved and published, and POOF!
Down into the abyss of cyberspace it all went. 

Solar Flare?  Or a long and sticky finger on the delete key?
Why are the Elves trying so hard to annoy me?

It's a little something different every day, but
it's a priceless education.