Continuing Story of Chris and Bill

Late in the afternoon, I did open my front door a crack. Had not heard Chris' big mouth or coughing. Checked and saw his door closed. Yesterday when I went to check mail, I let his caseworker in the gate. Likely the woman whose voice I often heard coming from the other end of Chris' telephone conversations. I asked her if she could talk to Chris about his loud talking....

...blah, blah, blah.

She said she would. Do not know that Chris was home or if she saw him. His door was closed. Soon after, I heard him talking just as loud as he ever does. I was tempted to open my door and ask him if his social worker talked to him ~ explaining about Long Beach's noise ordinances.

So today, I hear a noise. Did not get up, but knew it was Chris letting Bill inside his apartment. How do I know? I dunno exactly, maybe it was the sound of someone big, with a backpack, struggling to get inside. With his couch now directly in front of his door, it might make that type of soft noise. For all I know Chris was just carrying in a bunch of grocery bags. Yet in my head, especially since when I got up to look his door was shut, it was: Okay, Friday, manager not here, time to sneak Bill inside.

Soon I hear a voice that sounds like Bill. I know it is Bill, but do not want to swear it is unless I see him. My door still cracked I take a peek. Chris' door still closed, sounds like Doug talking by front gate. Maybe he is talking to someone, not Bill up there? Soon I hear manager, and I am still hearing the voice I think is Bill's and Chris' door still closed. Manager and his nephew talk to Mike. Silence except for Bill's talking.

Jerome, I guess comes downstairs or goes up, maybe he came down to check mail and back up, not sure. My door blows shut. After a bit, I get up. manager left paper in wrought iron type whatever on screen door ~ grill? I open door, to retrieve it, see Mike outside sweeping, back to me. I want to ask him if he saw Bill go into Chris' apartment. Decide not to. The manager must have heard him. Soon I hear Mike knocking on Chris' door.

Now that is unusual. Although Mike's voice is loud, I do not quite catch the conversation. Something about the manager. When I get up to look ~ Chris' door open, I want to get a peek, see if I can see Bill. But, "It's Mike..." repeated several times after the knocks until Chris opens the door. I am quite sure Chris saw me as he was going back inside ~ saw me looking. Was I imagining the nervousness in Chris' voice? I do not think so. Mike goes back to doing whatever he was doing; Chris goes upstairs to see manager, back down tells Mike he is not there.

Prior to Mike knocking was the last I heard Bill's voice. Sudden silence after his blah, blah, blahs. Manager back, some more talking, someone playing a guitar. Manager is going out of town with his nephew, Patrick, will be back Tuesday, taking a train. Oh great. Unless the manager warned Chris about bringing Bill on premises while he is away, it is going to be another fun weekend at 1043 Coronado Avenue. I wonder, also, if manager spoke to Mike about keeping an eye out for Bill.

The paper slipped between door iron and screen informed us that manager will be away with emergency telephone number. I truly need to start spending my days away from here. I consider going out at night to wander the streets downtown seeking company of other homeless people.

The past few nights I slept poorly, waking too late. That due to John's late night noise and agitation due to Chris' late evening loud talking... Johnny, Johnny (dang, Johnny is in the tub A-hole, shut the puck up) Johnny, Johnny (why are you yelling, go inside your own apartment, shut the door and call him the phone, maybe he is ignoring you because he does not want you at his basketball game watching party) Bill, call me later, Bill, call me on my house phone, Bill I can not talk to you right now, cough, cough, cough, Johnny, Johnny....


I am about to go insane.