Phil

Shortly after I woke this morning, someone was rattling on Chris' screen door. Stops, starts, stops, starts up again. Usually when people visit Chris, they are calling out his name. Oh, I guess that is some (insert foul language) rattling on my screen door.

I am not dressed; okay, I do have on my sleep clothes, but have not washed face, put away bedding. Could it be the handy men? They show up early, but normally I would know they were going to be coming to do whatever they would be coming to do. I put laptop down, get up, peek out blind to see who is disturbing my peace at 7:30AM. I see a man, back turned towards me. I am guessing: Phil. Puck him, go sit back down, pick up laptop and continue reading whatever news article I had been reading when the rattling disrupted my concentration.

Thank you, he got the hint and left.

Took my bath/shower, sleeveless, v-neck shirt, boxer shorts on. I am going out; not sure it is hot enough for shorts. Doing whatever I was doing on Internet when someone starts rattling on my screen. Might be close to noon, so I yell, "Just a minute." I finish clicking whatever I was clicking ~ Facebook game, most likely. Rattle, rattle, rattle, hear Phil say to someone "Mary...", not clear. I again yell "Just a minute, I will be right there."

I put laptop down, yell a third time, "I'm coming, I have to go get pants on." I increase volume of my voice each time, I yell it: JUST A MINUTE!!!

I had fan running to drown out Chris' LOUD coughing, talking, giggling like a school girl. Since I did not open bathroom window to air it out ~ knowing Chris is in courtyard ~ I have fan blowing towards bathroom, in doorway. I trip, almost knocking down the fan, yelling to Phil, yet again "GETTING PANTS ON".

Sigh. Now I could just have opened the door in my skimpy outfit ~ I have worn skimpy outfits to go to beach or even parks ~ but I am feeling too exposed. By the time I get baggy shorts and t-shirt on, Phil is gone from my door. Easy enough for me to open it, step outside to see if he is at his door, yell down at him ~ but I can not stand the sound of his monotone voice. Not just the sound of his voice, the dull way he has of talking and even duller things he says.

Not hearing John; Chris' door now closed and no sound from him, I go out to check mail. Doug is sitting outside as he often does; must not have seen me, did not return my wave. Since Phil did not come out, or running up to mailbox, went back inside. Oh, yeah, I could have walked down to his apartment to see what was so important he had to rattle the door to my bedroom.

I have a fairly good idea that he wanted to tell me the Food Bank is tomorrow. Then I think: maybe it was cancelled, did not get e-mail from Bobby today. Did get one last week to say the date was the 28th ("some confusion").

It was a nice day, though, went to post office to pick up a flat rate mailing box, then to park to see if they installed rest rooms. Nope. Enjoyed the hot sun as I read for a while. A tiny, greased lightning spider kept heading towards me on the concrete bench, then heading back, up and over arm rest, then back to seat, heading my way, back to arm rest. I kept looking up to check up on it. Resisted urge to take off sneaker and whop it.

I often tell bugs, "well, you should have stayed outside...", so felt it would be unfair to kill the thing. It finally disappeared in a crack. I got up, checking to see if it decided to sleep there and it was gone. Maybe wrong crack. Others nearby had holes in them. Then I am thinking the crazed spider was crawling around inside the bench and would soon find another hole to exit, and bite me on my back.

If not for the spider, I am sure I would have stayed out a whole lot longer.