CHAPTER FOUR

THE AWFUL, EVIL, VERY BAD MAN

Dede and I were very happy in our new apartment.

We were so busy getting settled that we didn't notice

how noisy it was next door.

The apartment had a common wall on the

dining room side and there were

sliding glass doors that led to

a small patio and then to the garage.

Dede had promised to make me a

garden spot where I could go and sun myself

and get fresh air.

She made a pretty little patio spot

with flowers and plants and I loved my 'playhouse'.

As time went on, the noise got louder and would

often go on until two or three in the morning.

We were happy that John's room was on the

opposite side of the apartment, so he was

not disturbed.

Dede's room was also quite isolated from the noise,

but trying to hear the TV in

the living room/dining room area could be a problem.

Knocks on the wall brought no response

except an increase in the noise.

A talk with the leasing agent brought little help.

A conversation with the president of the

owner's association brought the comment,

"We've had lots of complaints about him before.

Would you like me to speak to him?"

Dede said she would like that.

The noise increased.

Dede asked the leasing agent about breaking her lease.

He was not only less than enthusiastic, he

advised against it. He said how much it would cost

to break the lease.

We were appalled.

And so we gritted our teeth and put up with it

until that fateful Thanksgiving Day two years ago.

The door to the patio was open and,

suddenly,

smoke began to fill our apartment.

Because we were afraid our apartment or

the one next door

was on fire,

Dede ran out through the garage to see and,

in doing so, slammed the door to the garage.

There were people in the alley, all of them

looking at the smoke.

It was coming from the patio next door and

someone said, "I'll bet they're grilling, but

that's sure a lot of smoke. Maybe it's not a grill."

Because Dede and I are afraid of fire and know that

we must get John out of the house,

Dede ran back to our patio and yelled across,

"Is everyone okay over there?"

(to be continued)