miss manners: missing missing reasons and passive aggression ahoy

[lemonsharks]

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I am currently living with my mother. Not wanting to freeload, I suggested that she charge me rent. She seemed surprised, and said she’d get back to me.

Later, she appeared in a rather formal outfit and said she was now my landlady. She spelled out my rental rate and terms; it was higher than I had planned on, but she conveyed such an air of authority that I didn’t argue.

( spoiler: it gets worse )