Tonight felt like déjàvu all over again. One of my brother’s little friends from college moved to my town. She and I have never been really acquainted, but I’ve heard of her, and none of what I heard was good.  She made a name for herself as a freshman by sleeping around and partying too much. I’d heard that all she and my brother used to do was party hard and smoke pot all the time.

My brother told me when he came from work a little after 9pm that the girl texted him to tell him she has been in town for a week. She was also gonna drop by, which I thought was odd since she lives on the other end of town so I didn’t see what the hurry was, she could have come in the morning to say hi. She did drop by at 10pm. She turned to be a sweet person. We talked some and I found out she is living with her aunt. She is planning on getting a job and going to grad school. I was very impressed by her demeanor and friendly manner. The three of us started watching the movie I was watching before my brother came in from work.

Halfway through the movie, she started looking for her phone, and then sent a text. A few minutes later my brother reached for his phone and texted back. Next thing I know the two of them walked outside, without excusing themselves or anything and left me watching the movie. Ten or so minutes later, the two of them walked back in, leaking of pot and acting like it was an everyday thing. I was livid. My brother knows I can’t stand smoking in my house, and I especially can’t stand the smell of pot. Back when I used to live in an apartment and I walked in on him smoking pot on my balcony, I told him to smoke it as far away from my place as possible. I guess he forgot.

I remembered the last time my brother had brought a woman from the streets in my apartment, I had sat back and said nothing. I thought if I made them pay rent then everything would be okay. Then here he was again, bringing another one of his friends into my house. And the two of them had the nerve to smoke on my car port and then proceed to stink my whole house. I knew I had to nip this in the bud. Given what I’ve heard about the girl, it won’t take her and my brother long to wreck havoc in town. On top of that, my brother had the audacity to rewind the movie after the credits started rolling without asking me if I was planning on watching another movie, like it was my fault him and his friend missed it. I had to walk out of the room to gather myself…and get some air.

After I calmed down a bit, I came into the den and asked my brother to pause the movie. I told him and his little friend that I was only gonna say this once, if they want to smoke pot, they better smoke it far away from my house. I told them I could smell it on them, and I can’t stand the smell. I also told the girl I don’t want to lose respect for her so the two of them better respect my space. The girl said, “Ok. Thank you.” And I left the two of them in the den.

Of course the girl left right away and wrote me a text, saying she didn’t mean to disrespect my space and thanking me for the advice I had given her on making it in this town. My brother hasn’t said anything to me, he didn’t even finish watching the movie but locked himself in his room once the girl left.

I am tempted to think I overreacted. But this is my house, I pay the mortgage on it. What makes me sad is that my brother may start slipping back into his old ways. He has never been able to hold his weed. If he and the girl start smoking on a regular basis like they did back in college, my brother would be lost again. Only this time I am making it clear it is my house and my rules. If he doesn’t like it, he is welcome to leave. I’m through being a doormat….he better not try me.