At least you actually did something, and something positive. How many other neighbours do you and Bruce have? Who of them did anything?

I had to try and explain to Welfare (sorry, HR for the other siders) yesterday that I wanted to remain in a difficult work situation, despite being given the perfect escape route. My explaination is that some time ago, I worked for local government. A colleague suffered from depression and other permanent health problems. He was bullied by a manager, treated unsympathetically, never listened to (he was a serial whinger), refused transfers out and finally ended up hanging himself. I worked for the same manager and experienced similar problems with her but when I had the opportunity (pregnancy in my case) I left, and didn't continue my grievance with her because I was on maternity leave for a year. If I had pressed on with it, she would have been reprimanded, he would have been transferred and he wouldn't have ended his life that way. My situation now is similar, but I don't have the get out of jail free by getting pregnant card any more. If I leave without enough evidence to press a bullying grievance, he will start on someone else who might not be so willing to make a noise about it or able to deal with it. Or it might be someone who waits for him one evening and does something drastic (don't scoff, it has happenend, and not just by disgruntled taxpayers!)

There's no denying your experience has affected you. Perhaps it will make you get to know your other neighbours a bit better.... who knows? Perhaps it will turn you into a paranoid sniffer, reporting every strange odour 'just in case'.... whatever, you did something now, and I'm sure Bruce knows it. I'm also sure Bruce knows that the landlord tried to stop the jokes. You could write to the ambulance depot and demand an apology, but as you said, that sort of incident must come as light relief to them.

Take heart, be reassured.

LTS