Meeting the Neighbor

I don't know my neighbors. I've lived in various apartments for the last 9 years and have never gotten to know my neighbors. This may sound rude, but what's the point? We aren't going to live here forever, why get invested?! I realize that sounds harsh, but it's pretty true. Don't get me wrong, I recognize some of the people that live around me. There is the lady directly across from me. We say hello to each other when we see one another and she drives the blue Nissan Morano. Then there is the lady upstairs and down the way from me. I see her walking her dog all the time. Her yappy little Yorkie that used to bark at me. I'm pretty sure she smokes and I know she drives the little silver Ford car. I don't even know if anyone lives next to me right now. In the three years I've been in this apartment many people have been in and out of that one. I know I've had two different tenants above me in the last 3 years. There was the older woman that I would hear talking on her porch. She INSISTED on vacuuming at 8 am on Saturday mornings. I didn't care for her. Then there were the young kids that lived up there with their two huge dogs. Those stupid dogs ran around all the time and were SO loud. And the people were smokers that let their butts fall on my patio. They went in and out of their sliding door all the live long day. I didn't like them at all. I even called my apartment complex on them once. The straw that broke the camel's back was one night at 2 am when it sounded like they were dribbling a piano above my room and when the item came slamming down everything on my walls shook. Yes, I'd had enough. They have since moved. Yahoo!

Today I met the new neighbor that took the loud youngsters' place. Although, I'll admit, I was neither dressed or in the mood to meet someone new. I couldn't sleep last night and was up every couple of hours. During one of the times I was up I realized I hadn't paid rent and it would be due by the time the office opened today. Why do I always forget to pay it on time? Grrr. I wasn't sure what time the office opened but I didn't think it was before 10 am. So when I woke up yet again at 9 I decided to run up to the office and drop off my check, check my mail, and grab some McDonald's breakfast. I'd already abandoned the idea of getting ready for church. There was no way I'd be alert enough for the sermon. After running my errands, I parked the car and headed toward my apartment. I saw a figure at the top of the stairs but I didn't look up to see the person. I don't look strangers in the face a lot of the time. That's probably rude too. All I knew was there was a person dressed in black coming down the stairs. I was concentrating on carrying my breakfast, two drinks, wallet, phone, keys, and mail. I hadn't carried a purse. Dumb! I was also concerned with how I'd get into the apt carrying all that junk while keeping the cats inside. So I struggle to get the keys out of my arm-full of mess when a voice goes "Hi! I'm your new neighbor. I just moved in above you!" My first thought was "Crap, why are you talking to me?" My hands were full, I was concentrating on keeping the cats in, I had the clothes on I slept in, yesterday's make-up smeared on my face, and my hair looked like a rat's nest. I smiled at the boy (okay, probably an early 20's young man) and said hello. He was way too chipper this early in the morning. He then said that he didn't know how thick the floors were but to let him know if I he was ever being too loud. I told him "Oh, don't worry, I'm sure I won't hear you." Really? Why had I said that? I'd heard the two previous residents. But at least he realized that this is apartment living and that I might hear him so he was trying to be nice and keep it down and that was cool. I struggled to get inside and shortly headed back to bed to catch up on that sleep I lost during the night.

Around 3 pm I decided I was hungry, having only awoken an hour before, and having no groceries, I decided I'd hit up some fast food. Who do I see when I head out to my car? Yes, the same young boy neighbor getting something out of his car. I looked exactly as I had hours before. I hoped he wouldn't speak again. I walked down the few steps to my car, smiled in that direction, no clue if he really looked up, and I headed out. Thankfully he wasn't outside when I returned. Don't get my wrong, neighbors are great, I guess. I don't really know. Hopefully he'll be quiet and I won't have to turn him in. I'll keep you updated. lol.