My landlord is too nosey

Dear Pastor,

I am 23 years old and I have two children. My boyfriend has been living abroad for one year. His father was responsible for paying the rent. His father did not like where we were living, so he suggested that I look for another place and I did. I am living in a two-bedroom place with my children. I have never taken a man to the house. Only my brothers (I have two of them) will drop by sometime to visit us. None of them has ever slept here.

One weekend, my boyfriend surprised me by coming to Jamaica. He flew in the Friday evening and got to the house by 10 o'clock that night. I was so surprised when I heard the knock. The landlord heard the knocking and peeped out and saw him standing at my door. By that time I realised that it was him. He stayed with me. I was glad to see him and I cried. The landlord called my boyfriend's father and told him that he is a Christian and he rented me the place because he thought I was a decent, young woman and I have a man in his house. My father-in-law didn't tell him that it was his son, he just cursed two 'bad' words and told him that it was not his business and hung up on him.

I didn't know that that went on. It was late on Saturday when my boyfriend's father called and told him what the man said. We decided not to tell the landlord anything. My boyfriend had to fly back to America on the Sunday because he had to get back to work on Monday morning. The landlord threatened to give me a notice. He told other people in the yard that we were having sex so hard that he could stay in his room and hear us. Pastor, that wasn't true. Since he said he was going to give me notice, I have been waiting. I think he is afraid of my father-in-law. My father-in-law says that I should stay where I am.

This man's wife is always inviting me to church, but I don't want to go to church with these type of people who lie so much. I would not keep another man with my boyfriend.

T.G.

Dear T.G.,

Your landlord believed that you had carried a man into his house. He probably wanted your father-in-law to come around to the house to catch the man, so to speak, and to tell his son that you are a no-good and that he should have nothing to do with you. He got the shock of his life. He is a nosy landlord. Your father-in-law used some expletives. Perhaps he was so annoyed with the landlord for waking him up. His son would have told him that he is coming to Jamaica to visit you, but he should not tell you because he wanted his visit to be a surprise.

I hope the next time he comes to Jamaica he will marry you. I wish you well. If you do not want to go to the church that these folks attend, try and find another place where you can worship. It is also important to send the children to church. I would say that although this man is nosy, if his wife can take the children to church, allow her to do so.

Pastor