In my building, every floor has an apartment that faces the elevators. On my floor, there’s a dude who lives in that apartment. From what I can tell, he’s lived there for many years, I’d say five to seven years if I had to guess. In that time, I think I’ve seen him twice.
Since I use the elevators a lot (who doesn’t in an apartment building?), I’m often standing outside his door, waiting for the elevators to come. I don’t think I have ever heard any noise from his apartment; no sounds from a TV or any music. I haven’t heard anything like a blender or sounds of cooking. The apartment is quiet all the time.
The two times I saw this dude were quite interesting. The first time was out in the hallway of our floor. I must have been waiting for the elevator. He was outside his unit and he was complaining that he couldn’t be home for smoke alarm inspections. They had put a notice on his door that they couldn’t get into his unit for such inspections. I am guessing that he’s away during the day for work and can’t be home to open the door for the inspectors. I am also guessing he’s got no one to give his keys to so they can be home for him. That is all very understandable. I had sympathy for him.
The second memory of seeing this guy is a bit fuzzy. I believe that I had to get up very early in the morning one day. This might be when I was going on a trip somewhere. It was something very crazy early like 5am or 6am, a time that I’m not usually awake, let alone waiting for the elevators in my building. There he was, also waiting for the elevator. I think we had some small talk, very briefly, before the elevator arrived.
I don’t want to say this guy was reclusive but in the many years we’ve both lived on this floor, I’ve only seen him twice. I have never seen him on a weekend. I have never seen him getting his mail. If he walked past me on the street, I probably wouldn’t even recognize him since it’s been years since I last saw him.
Last week, I saw a note on his door. I couldn’t but help read it was I waited for an elevator. His landlord had been trying to reach him many times without a response from him. He hadn’t forwarded his rent cheque for April. The landlord would be entering the unit for inspection today (if you’re reading this as a new post). The note addressed him by his first name, so now I know at least that much about this reclusive neighbour.
I don’t know what’s going on with him or what his story is, but I am intrigued and fascinated. Does he even spend any appreciable amount of time in his apartment? Is that why he is so quiet and I never see him? Or is he in there and just living very quiet and very minimalist? I am also so curious to find out what the apartment looks like. Is it spotless and spartan or like a hoarder home?
If I find out more, I will update everyone.