This is my turn on the proverbial soap box.
We have a couple whose love/hate relationship has frequently spilled into the parking lot, followed by a few visits from the men in blue, then changing the door locks and swearing, “It’s over!” And of course, later that night they would make up.
Years of accumulated bad choices have taken a toll on the both of them.
There is another tenant, who is handicapped; he is 50 going on 12. However, he manages to take care of himself, pay bills, and I look out for him. My feeling is, “There for the grace of God go you, me or anyone of our children.” He was born that way, his only bad choices are that on the first of the month, he tends to self-medicate with alcohol for a few days, then he settles down again.
I am always amazed, every now and then, that a window will open up and he will say a most astounding thing to me and smile. Then just as suddenly, the light in his eyes will dim, that window closes and he retreats inwards once again. He comes to my door nearly every morning to get a cup of coffee and when I tell him that I have Dunkin Donuts coffee, he will rush home to get his cup.
A few nights ago, I managed to actually go to bed early, before 11 PM. It was great to finally stretch out in bed and not have to fight the cat for space. (Go ahead laugh, pet owners know what I am talking about: 6 lbs. of feline can take up a lot of room.) That joy didn’t last, as I was awakened at 12:30 AM by the sound of people arguing.
Crap! I got up, grabbed a robe and went out to check. It was that couple, now outside on the stairs below my apartment having drama, but they did calm down and eventually went back inside. Thought that was the end of it.
Later that same night, the handicapped tenant, drunkenly mistook their door for his. The husband came out and threatened him.
Not for nothing, how many nights have you, your wife and entourage had drama that woke up the neighbors? How many times have the police been here because of you?
That man needs to repay the tolerance and grace that we have extended to him, many times.
Life is not always easy, not always fair. Be grateful that you woke up above ground today and that you still have choices, not everyone gets the chances that many people have so carelessly thrown away.
Be grateful. Be kind. Never know what changes tomorrow will bring.
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