Sad.
My downstairs neighbor, who is around 80 years old, was entering the building right before me. He held the door, and then watched me check the mail: "you live above me?" he asked "I have not met you. I am Nestor, I live on the first floor, west side."
I didn't mention that of course I know him. That in the two and a half years I've lived in this building I've interacted with him many times. He occaisionally signs for packages for me, and he once let me walk through his apartment to the back stairs after I left my gate keys in my apartment and couldn't get back from doing laundry. I've twice let him into the laundry room to find his keys, and once heard about his wife who died in February ('01, I think) and who he desperately missed. I've talked with him while he smoked cigarettes on his porch, which is directly below mine. When the cat went missing for a couple hours two years ago he answered my knock to say he hadn't seen her. He's even met my boyfriend and talked with him. When the buzzers to our apartment weren't working he experimented by asking me to listen to him buzz. A few months ago he stopped by to ask if my front doo key was working (his wasn't). In other words, he shouldn't need to introduce himself to me.
It's very sad. I introduced myself again...I wonder if he will remember.
- posted by Heidi @ 6:25 PM