And Now This

Long time readers might recall the story of how it was, back in 2017, when I had that weird encounter with the neighbor living in the unit beneath mine.

When the former neighbor of that unit was taken to a care facility, the woman who now occupies the unit (known in the blog as Illusive Unfriendly and sometimes referred to as Creepy Girl downstairs) moved in quick, fast, overnight.

So quick, fast and stealth that it was days before I realized someone was living in the unit, then it was days, maybe even weeks before I actually saw her.

Returning from the market, I one day saw a woman sweeping up leaves in front of that unit, made the assumption it was she, took the opportunity to say hello, welcome her to the quad.

The encounter went like this ………

"Hi, are you the new neighbor?"

"Yes" she replied without looking up to make eye contact.

"I’m your upstairs neighbor, my name is Shirley".

Still looking away, she began laughing.

Puzzled, I just stood there for a moment, not knowing what to say.

"A lot of Shirley’s" says she seemingly to herself.

"Oh. Have you met other residents named Shirley?"

"No. I just know a lot of Shirleys".

"You won’t have a hard time remembering my name then."

Silence, still evasive – turned away, avoiding eye contact.

She hadn’t given me her name, so I asked, "What’s your name?"

If she said, I didn't hear her it, so I just left it at "Well, welcome."

Silence.

My instincts were telling me to run, but instead, I pushed on, "Have you met any of the other neighbors in this building?"

"I don’t socialize. I don’t even go to the Day Room (meaning the Community Room). I don’t like to be around people."

"We’re pretty nice here."

Whereupon, she finally turned in my direction, looked me dead in my eyes and cold as ice punched out, "I … DON'T … LIKE … PEOPLE! … I'LL … SPEAK … BUT … THAT'S … IT!!"

A little frightened by the dark energy she was displaying, I said "Okay then", and fled up the stairs.

It irked me to no end that after chasing me away with "I DON’T LIKE PEOPLE" it became obvious her dislike of people did not include male residents. I concluded she didn’t like people who had innies, just those with outies …… if you know what I mean.

But if that’s how she wanted it, so be it.

I’ve stayed out of her way since, and because she came across as cra cra, I’d pass her on the walkway, tell myself she doesn’t exist and was able to walk by her stone faced, my eyes dead, as though she really wasn’t there.

And so it went for four years until she resurfaced in 2021, showed just how cra cra she was by complaining to the office, on more than one occasion, that I was disturbing her peace by bouncing a ball 3:30 A.M.

Trust me …… the only thing I’m doing at that hour is sleeping, and the ball she accused me of bouncing in actuality was someone doing laundry at that ungodly hour, churning sounds coming from the machines.

Her bedroom is right next to the Laundry Room and she couldn’t tell the difference between noise coming from right next to her, attributing it instead to my bouncing a ball upstairs?

I was beginning to take it personal, thinking she was having an issue with me in particular. Perhaps upset because instead of trying to win her over, play nice, I’d ignored her for so long. I also told Next Door Neighbor perhaps her issue with me was jealousy because "she’s young and ugly, I’m old and pretty".

Why I referred to her as "young" will become clear as you read on, and though she has no problem attracting the outies, I think she'd unattractive.

At any rate, that was that until this Saturday when I went to the Laundry Room, walked in, saw her (Illusive Unfriendly/Creepy Girl) folding clothes on a corner table.

I think I might have instinctively forgotten who I was talking to and said, "Hello".

I don’t recall if she said "Hello" back, but when I subsequently got back to acting as though she did not exist, went about my business of putting clothes in one of the washers, she suddenly spoke up. Said that machine wasn’t working, and went on to say how she’d tried and failed to get what money she’d put in the machine back.

Next thing I know, she’s talking to me like we’re old friends. Actually, spilled some tea about TinTin.

It was old news having to do with that rumor of TinTin bringing bugs with her, saying her (Illusive Unfriendly/Creepy Girl) boyfriend on the property (Big Friendly Guy) had told her this, that, the other.

Old news that she had probably been itching to tell someone, but at least she was being friendly.

Seeing an opening, I asked her name. This time she told me and added, "I know your name is Shirley".

Did she remember from years before when I told her my name, or has she and her boyfriend been talking about me and he stood up for me, told her I'm not a threat, too old for her to be jealous of? Who knows.

Whatever her issue ─ not liking me personally, not liking people with innies, and taking seven years to tell me her name, her issue has nothing to do with her being of old age as she was given some kind of special dispensation, was allowed to move in at not yet 50. She was in her 40’s and may still not yet meet the age requirement for this complex.

And now this …………