What the Fork?

I live alone. There’s nobody "visibly" residing in this unit other than myself.

I don’t entertain and seldom have visitors.

So, how is it, pieces of what started off as a 12-piece set of flatware have periodically gone missing, never to be found.

Where did they go?

Who is taking them?

Over the weekend, when I reached for two forks to handle the uncured bacon (because I don’t like touching meat with my hands), I could only find one fork.

Not only that but, taking inventory, I found plenty of knives but I’m down to only two teaspoon and two place/soup spoons.

Again I ask …… Where did all the flatware go?

Looks like I’ll be catching a sale, order only a set of four; but this time, I’m thinking of trying a set in black. Possibly, easier to keep an eye on, not so easy to go missing.

Heading out to pick up photos yesterday, detouring first towards the mailroom, I spied Ernie on the walkway.

Oh No!, Oh No!, Oh No!, I said to myself as I quick fast tried to get into the mail area unnoticed.

Having not succeeded, I got a "Hey beautiful" a hug and "If I was 30 years younger, I’d marry you."

Oh really.

I don’t know how old Ernie is, but he obviously doesn’t know I’m likely waaaay older than he.

By my calculations, if Ernie were 30 years younger, then I — at my current age, would be considered a Cougar. Practically robbing the cradle.

Telling Ernie that he had it backwards; that even at his current age, because I’m 82, he’s more likely to be too young for me (He isn’t. Looks to be a healthy 60 something).

He looked surprised but, other than that, no reaction.

After Ernie went his way down the walkway, I further detoured through the office towards the Community Room.

It being Craft Monday, I wanted to see what those in the room had to say about the $0.00 mistake and the office converting all rental payments to Rent Café, WIPS or Flex Pay.

There was a line of residents waiting to talk to either Manager or her Assistant. I’m assuming to discuss the rental payment changes, LOL.

Rent is due on the 1st, the meeting isn’t until the 3rd, so residents are in a quandry as to what to do to avoid late payment fees.

Or is that part of management’s plan to squeeze even more dollars out of residents? …… Management won’t accept cash, check, money orders on the 1st and residents don’t know what Rent Café, WIPS and Flex Pay are.

One resident in the Community Room looked both confused and upset. The office told her she could pay her rent by going to the corner 7-Eleven, where they could do something or other.

This would be the 7-Eleven where Manager herself got scammed out of her whole paycheck because there was a skimmer on the machine.

Another resident said Manager herself had walked her through the Rent Café sign up thingie, but it didn’t work. The Rent Café mechanism would not accept/connect to her banking institute.

Thus far, it’s all chaos, confusion, one big mess.

So, anyway, while I was getting the tea, Ernie showed up at the glass door on the patio side of the room, peeked in and, when he saw me, he pressed his face and hands to the glass, looking like a lost puppy waiting to be let in.

That door only opens from the inside.

As I was standing, facing that way, I saw him first, but made no move to let him in.

Someone else eventually noticed, got up, walked to the door, let him in.

Evidentally, disclosing my age didn’t seem to slow Ernie’s roll/deter him one bit, because what followed were three or four more hugs, before I headed out to run my errands.

As I headed for the door, Ernie jokingly warned I was not to talk to any other guys, said he’d put a tracker on my phone to keep an eye on me.

I know he’s joking, but interesting thing to say.