A few years back, I had a roommate. Lets call that person V. V and I got along well at first but then her meanness started increasing exponentially towards me. I must have done something to irk her for sure but I am a pacifist: I believe in talking about problems amicably rather than giving someone a cold shoulder.

Fast forward to a day when V fired up pretty bad over a harmless prank, screaming and hurling threats at me. I was done being patient at that point: I fired back as well. It was pretty much the worst argument I ever had in my life.

The next day, a Sunday, I wrote V an email asking to just forget everything; we had had great days of friendship and nothing should affect that. I apologized as well, said I missed her. No response.

The next day, the cultural association serving my community summoned me, since V had asked for “justice”. At the meeting, she accused me of sexual, physical and emotional abuse at which point I started wondering if she had lost her mind completely (I hadnt even touched V or said any of those words V mentioned I did. The third roommate verified that). V wanted a “public” apology in front of the community, else “call the cops” and have me thrown out of the academic program I was enrolled in. I lack a good enough vocabulary to express how I felt, but maybe Natalie can help:

At the end, the committee asked me to settle all financial transactions with V and she could move out to find a new accommodation. I forgot exactly how much I owed her, but pretty sure it was in triple digits.

I was pretty mad at this point. More so because V would rather appease her ego about a very petty matter rather than continue our friendship. I felt cheated, disappointed and somewhat bullied.

I went around asking all of my friends for coin change. They were quite happy and obliging. Who wouldn't want to make their purses lighter? I went to my bank as well and picked up all the coins I could.

I paid the balance I owed V in cents, dimes, nickels and quarters. A big Kroger bag filled with jingling coins and the words “Keep the change”. Listening to V grunt in frustration and cuss under her breath over the next hour or so, counting them out was quite satisfying!