I hadn't seen him since that morning he stepped hand-cuffed into a police van. He looked late-30s then, mid-40s now.
"I'm movin' out, mate," he said with a wincing smile.
"Oh. OK", I said, searching for that thing to say.
"Yeah. I hope the next person doesn't play music as loud as I do."
"Oh, I'm sorry about all that", I said, still searching.
"No, don't worry. Has it been better the last couple of months? I've been trying to keep it down."
"Yeah, it's been fine", I lied.
"It's just the flooring. Goes straight through the hard wood."
"Yeah."
"It's not the flooring," said the older man, "it's you playing your bloody music too loud!" He faked a clip round the ear with an invisible, rolled-up newspaper.
"It was the flooring, Dad. Taking up that carpet was the worst decision." Desperado shook his head ruefully. "Anyway, take care, mate."
"Yeah, you too, mate." I opened my door and went inside, not having come remotely close to finding that thing to say.
"It's not the flooring," said the older man, "it's you playing your bloody music too loud!" He faked a clip round the ear with an invisible, rolled-up newspaper.
"It was the flooring, Dad. Taking up that carpet was the worst decision." Desperado shook his head ruefully. "Anyway, take care, mate."
"Yeah, you too, mate." I opened my door and went inside, not having come remotely close to finding that thing to say.
6 comments:
I was happy before I read this.
I know, I'm sorry. Though it was sadder being there.
I'm surprised you didn't point those speakers of yours down towards the street, fire up the keyboard, and give him a blast of "movin' out".
An opportunity lost perhaps?
Inexcusably sad, Jules.
I just accidentally read this again.
The passing of most of a year does not make it any less sad.
Oh, you don't need to tell me. I'm reminded of it every time I see his pile of un-redirected mail. Guh.
Post a Comment