Tully Mars

I moved to Mexico about 6 months ago. When I first got here I was basically the only person living on my street. After a couple weeks I notice there's a Mexican living in the house next to me and he's having a ton of work done to the place. This is great I think, it was a run down eye sore that I had to walk by to get to the beach. One day I'm walking by and the guy asked me where I'm from and how long I plan on staying. I explain I plan on being here long term, signed a long term lease (up to five years.) I talked to him a bit and find out he's not the owner of the house, he's just overseeing some work until the owner comes down from Canada. He says you're really going to like the owner. Ummm, turns out not so much.

The owner, Dale, shows up sometime before Thanksgiving. His wife, also named Dale, showed up about three weeks later. Turns out he runs a vacation rental company based in Toronto. He rents houses and condos from the locals, advertises them in Canada and re-rents them to Canadians for 4-5 times the going rate. He's been doing this for about 5 years. He gets zero repeat business, once people see the for rent signs and prices, Dale's not very popular. This is a practice that is not popular with the local owners either. Basically if you rent a place it's expected you will live in that place, no subletting. It's spelled out in big letters in my lease. I suspect a lot of the leases he has have the same language in them. I know at least one local who upon finding out Dale was not living in the condo he rented demanded he return the keys. When the owner went back to the condo everything had been removed. Furniture, fixtures, cabinets, and yes, even the kitchen sink. The cops show up and Dale denies any involvement.

Last week a Mexican pulls up to my front gate, I was in the pool. He points at me and calls out "Dale!" I can tell he's not happy to say the least. I told him "I'm not Dale" and point to the house next door. He leaves but returns moments later and says "You tell your friend he is to leave my mother alone, my mother does not want to rent to him, my mother doesn't want to sell to him. It is to be left alone by him that she wants." I try to tell him "Dales not my friend, I have nothing to do with him." I really didn't get the chance as he got into his car slammed the door and left as I was speaking.

So last night I'm woke up by screaming and yelling. Her- "You fucking locked me out you bastard, I paid for this place how am I suppose to get my money out of it?" Him- "You threw a fucking book at me and the houses' in my name good luck getting your money, bitch." Her "I threw a book at you because you hit me in the face you asshole." This went on for about an hour.

So, I know calling the police down here isn't going to do much good. Women here have little standing. according to my lawyer friend if he claims she assaulted him in any way he's in the clear for any harm he causes her, short of massive injuries or death.

I feel sorry for her and have an impulse to intervene if I think he's seriously assaulting her, but have been told by locals that doing so will not go over well with the local police.

Part of this is simply a rant,but I'd also like to hear if anyone has any ideas or thoughts on how they might deal with this situation.

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I used to drink to drown my sorrows, but the damned things have learned how to swim- Frida Kahlo

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