Basement

So I think there's a girl living in my basement. Really. It's kind of creepy.

Shortly after I moved in to my new studio apartment (really, I do love living alone!) I met a woman in my building who was in the process of moving. Within three minutes she told me how she was being evicted and was going to live on the 5th floor with her friend. A little too much information was shared for someone I just met.

I have seen her several times since then, either in the building or just outside the building on the street. And lately, due to the situation, I have seen her in the laundry room and the storage area, both of which are located in the basement. When I see her, I usually smile. But sometimes I feel like I'm disturbing her or invading her privacy by making eye contact. Sometimes we speak, and sometimes she looks at me like she doesn't know me and ignores me when I say 'hello.'

A couple of weeks ago she was putting on make-up in the laundry room. And going back and forth from the gated storage area to the laundry room. And she wasn't doing laundry, either. Today I saw her coming in from the basement door, which is where the trash is kept. The basement door is not an entrance, although you can get in that way from the street. She went into the gated storage area. And I have also seen people coming in from outside through the basement door. Men. And they go into the gated storage area. Maybe there is more than one person living in the basement. Or maybe there's only one person and she has visitors.

I'm not sure what to think, but I can tell you that it's weird, creepy and sad all at the same time.