The cooler weather has brought with it the static value of my open bedroom window. The bedroom window is the only window that can be opened more than 1.5 inches due to torn screens and curious cats. (if they get through the screen in the bedroom they’ll just end up on the balcony. When they get out through the living room, they’re on a 2 inch cement “ledge” 2 stories up- yes, this has happened and yes, I freaked out both times.)
Now, let me provide you with some geography and logistical data: my building faces another building; balcony to balcony with a slight elevation difference making my second story bedroom line up with the first floor units in the facing building. My bed is in front of my window to take the best advantage of the breeze. If I lie in bed, I can stare directly at the building across the way.
The occupants of the 1st floor unit, and their compatriots, (I actually have no idea who lives there to be honest- it’s a one bedroom apartment and there’s always multiple people there! in fact, it’s a junior one bedroom which means it has a really small living room with no dining area) like to sit/stand outside to smoke, chat, and drink at night. They usually don’t start until after 10pm and don’t stop until some time after I’ve drifted off to sleep (I’m always asleep before 1am, usually more like 11pm.) Hmm, maybe they’re vampires. No wait, they’re just early twenty-somethings.
So there I am, in bed with a trashy book, and I keep getting distracted by the proximity of live people saying dumb things. Obviously, I had to grab my Blackberry and get the UberTwitter up and running (okay, so, maybe, just maybe I already had my phone and was already on Twitter)
I judge them. I do. They are all early twenties where they are still forming who they are going to be and still screwing and screwing up at random because it’s not “real” yet and I’m in a different phase of my twenties, the-countdown-to-thirty twenties. I moved into this phase when I turned 28. I saw my 30th birthday on a calendar and realized it was sooner rather than later, and of course, my brother actually turned 30 which means I’m not far behind. I’m in the “holy shit when did I become an adult!?” part of my twenties. Today I actually cleaned for no reason other than it was time to clean. I wasn’t expecting guests or the landlord or dealing with a major bought of ickiness. Keep in mind I don’t think we ever stop screwing and screwing up, but our lessons change as we get older. I mean, my life is no longer structured around penny pitchers, dance beats, well drinks and hello boys!
But what do I know about these neighbors? They play darts, they smoke (but not in the apartment), they used to drink a lot when they were 18 (every day according to one fellow!), they work in the service industry (one of the girls worked as a server at Cracker Barrel and the other was talking about serving but I never caught the name of the establishment), and that’s about it.
Was I any different or any better? What did I say when I was drinking and playing darts and unwinding? Yeah, dumb things. But not as dumb as the 1st floorers.
I kept waiting for them to notice me across the way. I made no effort to hide myself, my light was on, curtain fully open, but maybe the railing hid me. I continue to be interested in my neighbors on all sides.
What I really ask is, when did I get so much older than my neighbors? It sure would be nice to be friends with my neighbors, but I have nothing but big sister to give the folks who live in my immediate vicinity.
Hey, at least there’s no missing body being carried out by the vampire screwups.
In a few weeks I’ll have a brand new set of neighbors to stalk and judge! Maybe I’ll find some new friends.
