I received a call from the Building Manager that something is wrong with one of my tenants. He would like it very much if I would visit the tenant right away.

“Joe” is a middle aged single man who has never given us any kind of problem.   While I head up the stairs, I notice a faint mist in the air. It’s not raining so this is really odd.

As I approach the front door to the apartment the mist is heavier in the air but I don’t know where it is coming from.

Joe answers the door almost immediately wearing only his “tightie whities” and a big grin. He is covered in sweat from head to toe and the apartment is full of steam that comes billowing out from behind him.

Once the initial cloud is gone, I can see several different types of humidifiers throughout the living area. All of the hot water is on full blast from every faucet.  This complex has central water heating so he has an unlimited supply of hot water. When I get to the kitchen, I explain to Joe that I need to turn off the stove and oven.  He has all the burners on high and the oven is also on with the door wide open.

Joe explains that he was just enjoying a good steam bath. Uh, okay. I wasn’t going to argue with a sweaty man in his underwear.

After a little encouragement to get his clothes on, I took him back to the office with me and we called his next of kin, a sister. Joe and I had coffee and I listened to him talk while we waited for his sister to pick him up.

I don’t know what happened to Joe that day. I wonder if it was something building up over time or did he just snap.  His belongings were eventually removed by family members and I never saw him again.

🔑 Mental illness is a growing concern and something we can’t always predict. Hire a good Property Manager who is trained to deal with these situations.