I have really let this bad boy go...

Sorry for the lack of posts, but I've been super hectic moving all my crappity to Jarett's house and selling my furniture. I wish I could say I haven't written because nothing has happened, but that would definitely not be true.

This passed weekend was spent taking trips back and forth between the two apartments. I know some close encounters, one Shilpi would love involved Jarett being interrogated in the elevator by Gita, my lovely Indian/Trinidadian neighbor.

Monday, I went home to sell my tables. I was home for literally an hour. In that time, I was cornered by a customer at the Crack Den across the hall....with the man who just purchased my tables waiting diligently by the elevator. The young crackhead kept saying, "what I got to do to get you to stay in touch with me when you move? We gonna be friends?" He's saying all this while trying to back me into a corner. I menacingly pushed my nightstand toward him as though I was about to run him over, which got him out of the way. Then, hunchback told me to come to his apartment because his wife "has something for me" so I can "make a lot of money" - I think he's referring to suing over Caliope's wrongful death. I can't even fathom wanting to do that. I just want to be moved and get the hell out of Dodge.

Yesterday, I went home for a while to do laundry and pack some more. I kept reassuring Kielbasa that tomorrow (today) he would be moving to Jarett's, I think he was excited.
The same crackhead was back, he asked me when I was moving. I said nothing. I'm really worried for my TV. Gita gave me crap in the lobby about moving, again. She said just because "some" of the people are bad here, doesn't mean they all are. I shot her a death look and left the elevator. I also saw that surprise surprise, but the adolescent girl who threatened me and "ain't scared of white people" - is the daughter of the Angry Pantsless Wonder. The whole family was in the elevator, and when they got off it literally shifted up from all the weight. It takes every once of strength I possess NOT to spit in their ugly faces when I see them.

Everyone keep their fingers crossed my dresser fits in Jarett's car, I'm tired of living out of a suitcase and I want my stuff out of that hellhole.

Kielbasa's Bachelor Pad

Tuesday night it became official when I sold my bed. I'm living with Jarett. Right now, though, my stuff is still living with Kielbasa. Who has the apt to himself. I'm hoping he gets all the barking out of his system there so when we officially smuggle him into Jarett's no one notices for awhile. I go home to sell more stuff, feed and love the dog, and then go back to Jarett's.
Yet still, in that time, a woman yelled at me for coming out of the elevator.

And I got a nose bleed...I think there might be some of kind of poison oozing from the walls, Amityville Horror style. We're just getting away with our lives.

15 days until the end of the Crackhouse.

It's getting worse.

I can hardly believe it myself, but it's actually getting WORSE in my building now that it's Winter. There is DEFINITELY a drug operation being run from across the hallway. What this means is that throughout the night various characters of an unsavory nature parade outside the drug den's door. What's really disturbing is that a really large portion of them seem to be really, really young.
While most of the people visiting the REAL crackhouse across the hall don't bother me, a few who apparently recognized me actually gave their condolences when they asked about Caliope. What's scary about the building activity level in the Crackhouse is that last night while going to walk Kielbasa a young man got in the elevator with a gun clearly in his pocket. I have never been so scared, because he was clearly high and clearly an angry high, but I could see the gun in his hoody. Jarett yelled at me for not getting out of the elevator, but I was in the corner and didn't see it until we were both trapped inside. I just tried to not breathe and bolted when the doors opened.

Teenagers were smoking a joint in the elevator. One actually yelled at the main smoker that he should be polite and not smoke in the elevator with the nice white girl. I appreciated his effort.

17 days til moving day!!

The elevator shocked me again this morning.

R.I.P. - Caliope Guthrie 2/02 - 11/07

For those of you who don't already know, Caliope lost her brave battle against whatever it was that has been eating her up for the better part of three months.
I don't want to relive the whole thing all over again, but on Friday night I came home from work. She wandered out of the bedroom, and said hello. I picked her up, wrapped her in a blanket and put her on the couch. I called Jarett because I was supposed to be going to his house, and I told him how weak she looked. We talked about maybe putting her to sleep this weekend, because she had to be suffering. I hung up the phone, not wanting to think about it, and went into the bedroom. I came out ten minutes later, and she had passed away on the couch.
Jarett came over, did an examination like a good doctor. She was dead. We wrapped her in her blue blanket, put her in a box, and took her to the AMC. They took her little body, and it was over.

Kielbasa wasn't upset at first, but has gotten more so over the weekend. He was on edge at Jarett's, and seemed a little depressed last night/this morning. Hopefully he'll start to perk up soon with lots of love from Jarett and I.
Thank you so much for all your love and support through all of this, Caliope and I both appreciate it.

Management's Response.

I spoke to my management lady, and believe it or not she was completely receptive. She talked on and on about the sociological impact of me living there, and how fascinating it is. I told her mostly everything, and she laughed, she cried. Then, I asked about my deposit, and she ripped up my rent check for November - so I already have my deposit back. I'm relieved it was so simple, but at the same time I'm totally going to feel dirty when the broker shows the next sap my apartment.

The end is near.

50 Lincoln Rd
Brooklyn, NY 11225

November 1, 2007

Dear Lynn:

This letter is to let you know that I will be moving out of 50 Lincoln Road, as of December 1, 2007. I have tried hard to adjust to life at 50 Lincoln, but I just don’t think I’m cut out for it. I do not feel safe there for the following reasons.

1. People constantly making lewd or threatening remarks in the hallway, lobby and elevator.
2. Parties/gatherings being held in the hallway, which results in a constant amount of litter in the hallway and staircases.
3. Things breaking in the building- i.e. – the front door locked me IN; the elevator was emitting electric shocks when it rained.
4. The police having to be constantly called for noise and drug-related calls. While it’s reassuring to see them in the hallway, since my neighbors think it’s me calling (both Gita and Kelly on my floor have said something to me about MY calling the police on them) they are openly hostile.
5. A letter received last month about thieves and rapists in the building.

I have dates for all these occurrences, and there is more, but the truth is that the building is not a good fit for me. An adolescent girl made it all too clear when she told me she was going to kick my dog, and myself in the elevator because “she ain’t scared of White People.” I hope that my moving out prematurely will not affect my security deposit, since I am moving out because I feel threatened. Please let me know if you need any additional information.

Sincerely,
Stephanie Guthrie

It's amazing how much can happen in an hour.

I've been spending a lot of time with Jarett recently - for those of you who don't already know - yes, we are back together. Probably, we are moving in together, mostly because we want to, but also because my apartment is an abomination.

That being said, I haven't spent much time at home. Yesterday, I just went home long enough to do my laundry. In that time the following things happened:

1. A woman asked where Caliope was. I said, "she's dying and is too weak to go outside." The woman replied, "that's a...(weird pause) shame." What did the poor little dog ever do to her?

2. A man in a neon green Hawaiian shirt, with an Afro (and pic stuck in said Afro) comes out of the crackhouse across the hall from me and says - "beautiful." I assume he's talking about Kielbasa, so I say nothing. He continues. "Please tell me you're not married." I said, "sorry."

3. While in laundromat, alone with attendant, a young man threw himself on the door outside and started banging on it. When I looked, he started screaming at me about how I'm pretty, or something. I say nothing. He says, "WHAT, I don't even get a HELLO!" So much for the Winter will be better because you wear a coat theory!

4. Two teenagers rode in the elevator with me while they blew out their blunt wrapper and talked about all the pot they were going to smoke. Then, went into the aforementioned crack den across the hall.

5. Saw lady smoking outside Super's door.

Do I need to really justify why I want to move?