Spring is definitely springing here in my little world here in Atlanta. I had the first sure sign of it today, as I walked out into my screen porch.
Was it the warm weather or the sun shining in through the mini blinds, you might ask? Or was it the dogwoods in bloom or the squirrels playing in the pinestraw? Actually, it was none of these things. I've seen all of them for the past couple of weeks now.
The first definitive sign of Spring here at the Beeson household is... the creepy old guy with his tank top and shorts, walking his two yippy dogs on the path back behind our apartment. He's back again for a new season. And I know that Spring can't be far behind.
See, I know of the creepy old guy well. Although, I didn't know about him, really until after Savannah was born.
When I was home, after I got out of the hospital last year, I was home by myself all day while Wallace was at work. And, I did a lot of nothing. I watched tv, cleaned a little here and there. I was also expressing breast milk 4-5 times a day for Savannah, since I wasn't breastfeeding her myself when she was in the NICU.
We live on the bottom floor of our apartment building. And, it's okay mostly. The rent is cheapest on the bottom floor, and it gets gradually more expensive the higher the floor that you're on. There are actually only three levels to any building here. But, the nice thing about ours, over the ones above us, other than being a bit cheaper is that our screen porch has a door, and you can walk out the back of your apartment, if you want to.
The disadvantages to living on the bottom floor are more numerous. I'm paranoid about leaving the windows open, as I'm a country girl and scared that someone might try to get into our apartment with such easy access. Also, I keep most all of the miniblinds closed all the time, since I don't want to 'be on tv' as my mom used to call it, or have people peering into my apartment all the time. If I feel like walking around naked, I won't gross anyone out. Or if I decide to break into song and dance for Savannah to make her laugh, it won't bother anyone outside either.
But, mostly the windows facing the back of the building, I do leave the blinds open a bit. And through the screen porch, I leave them all open. Since, there really are not a lot of passerby, on the path behind the building... except for the creepy old guy in tank top and shorts walking his two dogs.
The creepy old guy really only ever wears a tank top and shorts. Ever. I've only seen him in something different maybe twice, when the weather was getting colder.
I have gleaned a little bit of information about the creepy old guy, just by my own assumptions, but I actually have more questions than I have answers.. He couldn't possibly have a job, I don't think... Unless he works nights or something. And, if he doesn't have a job, how in the world does he afford to live here? Is he so broke that he owns nothing else to wear but a tank top, the underwear kind and ratty-ass cutoff jean shorts? Or, how does he afford to feed his dogs if he doesn't work, and walks his dogs twice a day past my screen porch window?
My introduction to the creepy old guy was probably the Monday, after I came home from the hospital. (He doesn't seem to walk his dogs much back here on the weekends for some reason, which would explain why I didn't know about him, until I was at home all the time.) I was sitting on the couch, probably watching tv, with my big old Medela double breast pump attached to each of my breasts, while expressing for Savannah. And that creepy old guy just stood, right outside the window staring at me.
Now, being an exhibitionist has a certain charm, but not for a creepy old guy with his dogs, who lives in my apartment complex. Even when I noticed he was staring, and I attempted to be nonchalant, but clearly displeased with the fact that he was staring at me and my bare breasts hooked up to the breast pump, and he just stood there.
So, he's been creepy to me ever since. But, I see him every day when the weather gets warmer. And his dog walks will be a daily occurrence on the path behind my apartment, probably until about October or November.
So, if someone asks me how I know that it's really Spring, I'll tell them...
I love to watch the dogwoods bloom in Atlanta.
Since, I plan to share the creepy old guy stories only with you...
. . . . .
Hope you have a good weekend, and I'm looking forward to Maura coming over to stay with us tonight. So we can watch movies, hang out and chat about her past weekend spend at Mardi Gras. Lucky bitch.