Mr. K’s Misconduct

Conflict & Injustice
Community & Connection
Wisdom & Values
Grandma Stella shares her experience as a realtor during a challenging time, encountering Mr. K’s inappropriate behavior and navigating a delicate situation with his wife. Despite the discomfort, she handles the situation with grace and professionalism.
Author

Stella Tawfik-Cooperman

Published

August 13, 2020

When I was in my late thirties, I decided to become a realtor. During that same period, I was going through a rather painful divorce. I put my energy into hard work. I was comparatively good at what I did. I advertised my services in various venues. One of them was through the Persian newspapers.

Amongst the people who answered my Persian advertisement was a man who owned a fleet of taxis. He was interested in buying cooperative apartments, not one but several. He was a well-spoken person, sharing details to find suitable properties. I arranged a viewing of five listings for him.

During our first appointment, he made an inappropriate advance towards me in the car. Despite my fury, I maintained professionalism and demanded he leave. He apologized, but my trust was shaken. However, when his wife, Fariba Khanom, contacted me expressing interest in real estate, a friendship began to form.

Despite Mr. K’s unsettling behavior, I continued to work with them, always keeping a distance. One cold day, while picking them up for a viewing, Mr. K crossed another line, revealing himself inappropriately. Disgusted, I confronted him and chose to cancel the viewing. I maintained a courteous facade for Fariba Khanom’s sake.

After a series of events, including a memorable time spent with Fariba Khanom, I decided to part ways professionally but on civil terms. Despite Mr. K’s misconduct, he later recommended my services to others. I chose not to engage further, wary of encountering another inappropriate individual like Mr. K.