Ten days

As in, we're moving in ten days. Only ten days.

We were going to leave sooner, but it made more sense to wait a few more days. It's not easy to wait. Henry can't sleep. Every night the people above his room commence the most unbelievable racket. It's not just stomping or shouting or dropping the occasional, I don't know, small appliance. This sounds like they're playing Toss the Furniture every night. Slam the Moped on the Linoleum. We turn on a fan and play music in his room, but half the time we have to sit with him until he falls asleep. It takes a while.

The rational part of me thinks we're perfectly safe here for the time being, but the primitive scaredy-cat part is screaming GO GO WHATAREYOUDIOTSWAITINGFOR. The other night, after Scott had gone to bed, someone knocked on the door. It was 11 pm. I crouched on the other side, listening, frozen, bathed in cold sweat. They kept knocking. Fortunately it wasn't loud enough for the dog to hear, because he would have come running, which would have alerted the entire household. Just me and someone on the other side of the door, rapping quietly.

I realize this probably wasn't someone coming to kill us all. Nor was the plumber, who came knocking at around noon, a few days ago. I was in the bathroom and heard Scott answer the door. Then nobody said anything. Immediately my brain decided he was in trouble. Silent, puzzling trouble. And again, with the cold sweat! All over my body! But it was just the (odd) plumber, who thought we had a problem (we did not; he had the wrong door) but instead of saying something, decided to stand there and stare.

It's been cold out. This is good. When it's cold out the people in the building don't congregate on the stoop. They don't run in and out of the building, shouting and slamming doors. Ten more days. I don't care if it snows. Let it.

Comments

[Boston Mamas]

I hope these 10 days speed by, and that the move goes smoothly. {hugs}

[Kari]

Are tazers legal? You should get a tazer and just quietly aim it at anyone who knocks on your door. Or you could get a gun and learn how to clean it. Then whenever people knock you can answer the door with the dissassembled gun in your hand. That would make you look so untouchable....I'm thinking tazer because of your ten day time constraint.

[Kerry]

It's so much better when you have a number to count down from. Preferably a single digit number - yay for tomorrow!

[Miss B]

If I was on the correct coast, I would totally come help you move boxes of books from Place 1 to Place 2. As it is, I will just send you many excellent wishes. (Also, I'll see what I can do in the way of speeding time up for the next week-and-a-bit. No guarantees, but, you know...I know a guy who knows a guy. Just saying.)

[erika edith]

Wahoo - I love count downs. I am always tempted to stock up on those chocolate advent calendars they sell at Christmas - and use them for countdowns throughout the rest of the year...

[grannymelissa]

Hang in there. This mess and all the anxiety that's gone with it will all be behind you soon. *hugs of support*

[Lori]

Oh, how agonizingly miserable. I have PTSD, too, and I cannot IMAGINE. Fly by, 10 days.

[Jan]

Hang tough. I hope the ten days past quickly and uneventfully.

[Em]

I missed the part where it made sense to wait. I'm sure you could and everyone would be fine but why? If there is any other option - take a little vacation, visit your parents, see if Walmart really is open 24 hours (they sell beds I think - how long do you think it would take them to notice?). Sometimes I like to challenge my bravery and sometimes I like to do whatever unreasonable but comforting thing my wimpy gut tells me to do.

[Marinka]

Yay! And now it's practically 9! I'm sorry to brag about my counting in reverse order skillz like that.

[Alexa]

Ugh. Blargh. Hang in there--think of that nice kitten on the poster! Hang on like the kitten.

I wonder if they are drunk naked wrestling, above Henry's room. That's what our hateful former neighbors were doing above us, and it sounded JUST like Toss the Furniture.

[Barnmaven]

I was just talking the other day with my mom about how fast time seems to go lately - EXCEPT if there is something coming up that I just can't wait for. May your days pass by in the blink of an eye.

[Sarah]

Here's to the next 10 days flying by. Happy moving :-)

[Robyn]

Love your blog! Love your writing. Love your honesty. Love your sense of funny. Hoping 10 days pass quickly.

[Melinda]

Here's to ten very fast days and an uneventful move.

[Angela]

I hope it snows every day except for moving day. Hang in there!!

[Sarah]

I hope the 10 days pass peacefully. But how about that vacation or visiting family or something for a few days mentioned above? Or could you go "camping" in the new place (maybe Henry would like that) until the stuff arrives in the official move. It is just a lot of stress on top of the stress of moving to deal with, if you can avoid it, why not? But wherever you are doing whatever makes the most sense for your family, I wish you an uneventful and quiet wait.

[Sarah Pond]

well, you know what they say, "time flies when you're fearing for your family's safety".

Srsly, 10 days is nuthin'. Nuthin', I say!

[Lisame]

I think you have a drug dealer in that building. Wait...that doesn't really help does it?

I'm just perplexed by your surroundings.

I look forward to you getting out of there and your writing returning to move fun things. TEN DAYS! I'm counting down with you.

[Alice Bradley]

I *know* we do, Lisame. Fun! 

[Alexandra]

10 days.

They can't go fast enough for me.

I want you guys OUTTA THERE!!!

[TC]

I'd be doing a lot of sleepovers. For Henry AND for you. Just hearing what it's like for you there is making me twitchy.

[MustangSally]

I'd be taking a vacation, too. If not Mom's or a friend's; a cabin at the beach, couple of nights at the Holiday Inn, or camping out in the empty new apartment. All you really need is an airbed, lamp, sleeping bag, toilet paper, a couple of towels and toiletries. Go out to eat or order Chinese/pizza.

Good luck!!

[Barbara from Dorchester MA]

A few years ago we had a -- shall we say undesirable? -- neighbor in the house next to ours and we would frequently have people ringing our doorbell at odd hours. I think he gave out our number instead of his on purpose, or maybe our house with the nice paint job and porch light just looked more approachable. This was rather unsettling as you might guess. Fortunately I was very friendly with our community service officers and he soon moved away. Good luck with your move!

[mamazon]

your guys are totally welcome to come over and stay here!

[Dawn]

Sending you Newfoundland spring weather. That'll keep those bestids off the stoop.

Hang tough. The one digit countdown has begun.

[melanirae]

I so have 'Major Tom' stuck in my head now.

[Katie]

I cannot wait to hear about your wonderful new place. I hope that its calm and peaceful. ANd maybe you'll give us the decorating story on your new place too. Either way, I can't wait to hear that you're there and all is well.

[Antonia]

I live beneath (actually very lovely) people who like to stay up all night making sure the gravity in their flat is still working.

I lie awake and imagine a comedy stand-up skit: WHAT YOUR UPSTAIRS NEIGHBOURS ARE REALLY DOING. I picture a man on stage with a set of lounge furniture, plus bowling-balls, power tools, ball-bearings, clogs and so on, having fights with his armchair, scraping the floor with a fork, etc. I have to laugh, otherwise I'd punch someone. Hope your move comes soon for you. x

[Kassi]

That is really creepy...the quiet knocking. I couldn't stand it. My imagination runs away. I hope that this time passes quickly and safely.

[VMT]

That quiet knocking is...super creepy. Like, SUUUUUPER creepy. Time to decamp before you are all murdered in your beds.

[NotFace]

I have a sporting notion -- why don't you try and move -- carrying everything by hand -- during the 5th Avenue Street Fair? I would film it for you.

I say this as someone who had the bright idea to move out of an apartment on Greene Street in SoHo on a snowbound Saturday afternoon two weeks before Christmas.

[Katerina]

I am everso sorry that my comment will be unhelpful but... Are you sure you want to stay in the same building...? I know the neighborhood, i'm sure you could find an apartment in one of the brownstones. Of course i don't know how cheap your current place is and money obviously does matter... But so does peace of mind and your son's (and your!) sleep. It just sounds like where you are is. just. bad.

Again, I am sorry I'm not helping. Moving is a nightmare and so are brokers, blech. But at least it's a very temporary nightmare.

[Renee]

Living in scary places builds character, so does cleaning out the stuff in the back of the fridge. At least, that's what my mom tells me

[Kate]

5 days left, right? COUNTDOWN. Unless that adds unnecessary pressure, in which case I was never here...

[Tracy]

So if you want to, you know, let us know you're still alive or anything... you know how we worry...

[amanda]

Glad I am reading this 6 days after it was written. Cannot fathom the weight of the worry. Here's to a strong wind blowing this stuff far and away for the days that remain.

[Rebecca]

That is so funny about the plumber! My brother in law is a plumber, and that is exactly what he does! Also, super long pauses during a sentence, I am constantly interrupting him because I think he is finished. Good luck with your move.

[Mochi Fanta]

Why on earth would you move to such a sketchy place?