Sunday 20 July 2008

Mona Lisa

I've been at work all day as we're working on a pretty big project. I got home about an hour ago and was looking forward to getting into my bed to read for a bit. I did all my bits, grabbed my book and sunk into the sheets and lay there.

Through the window which is slightly open, a breeze has been wafting in and on it, the sound of the music from the woman next door.

I know that she's quite old and the landlord says that apparently she has been battling cancer which is why she's sometimes up at odd hours. Our house is semi-detached so her bedroom window is adjacent to mine.

I lie here typing this, to the sound of Nat King Cold singing Mona Lisa drifting in from next door. We've had Frank Sinatra, Cliff Richard and someone who sounds like Bing Crosby or Dean Martin. It's so easy and so peaceful to listen to.

I imagine she's sitting next to the stereo, listening to this music and remembering the days when she was young. When her and her boyfriend would go to the Saturday disco and dance at arms' length. She's probably now enjoying a G&T that's three parts gin and one part tonic.

Perhaps this morning she went out to the hairdressers, as she does every Saturday morning, to have her hair done. And she came home and ate her Saturday lunch all on her own. At four o'clock her son came to visit with her grandchild but they left a a few hours later.

And now she sits without saying a word, because she has no-one to talk to, with just her favourite music to keep her company. She assumes she's all alone but she doesn't realise that she's been keeping me company too.

To Mrs Whoever You Are, thank you for your wonderful music. It's been so lovely to listen to.

10 comments:

dickophile said...

are you trying to depress me?

dccised said...

or maybe there is a troupe of young male strippers dancing naked in her house. but it is all very quiet because the landlord explicitly said no guests after 12.

Anonymous said...

Its good when you have neighbours who are not in your face.

Last night the girl upstairs arrived home 0150 with her friends - honked her horn and then parked on the grass outside my bedroom window because she didnt want to walk from round the corner.

Weird you in central london get a nice neighbour and me 2 mins drive from the sea in a village get noisy neighbours above.

Bill said...

What a lovely post :) (the first, for several days)

Probably she'd assume you're a stalker, given the general 'live in a cocoon' attitude of most people in London when they're outside their home environments away from people they already know, but it's a pity you couldn't find an excuse to be outside of a Saturday morning to at least say a friendly good morning to her when she leaves for her appointment with the hairdresser. I know in big cities (most of those I've lived in anyway) that 'keeping one's distance' is mere self-preservation, but I've found a little pro-activeness often works wonders, provided of course you choose the occasion carefully and prudently.

Robert Cox said...

Dicks: Sorry if I did...

J: Yeah, fuck, maybe they're all the hottest guys from Randy Blue. Shit, Chris Rockway could be right on the other side of this wall!

Fleet: Location, location, location! No - but this country is silly like that. I'm pretty close to Central London and it's quiet however, if you go to some of the places in Zone 4 they're much noisier than here.

Bill: I have seen her a few times and have said hello but like you say, everyone here keeps to themselves which is why there are a lot of lonely people. I sometimes look around on the packed Tube and wonder how many of them are lonely and would just love for someone to talk to them... but of course I would never talk to anyone.

David said...

where are the audio podcasts? I was really enjoying those!! i was playing it on the speakers at work and no one suggested you were gay. In fact my colleague was laughing his ass off. But then again, they think im straight so maybe there not the best reference :P

Robert Cox said...

David: We're going to do some more Audio Podcasts but not all the time. Variety is the spice of life and less is more etc.
I promise there are more on the way but ... mix and match, you know...

Anonymous said...

Talk to her, although maybe don't tell her you know all about her! It sounds to me like she would love the company. And you are a long way from you family so maybe you would enjoy her company too?

Ade

Timmy said...

It might be a good idea to chat her up, especially if she likes to partake of adult beverages. ;-)

Anonymous said...

I'd go over and talk to her. See who she is and chat her up.

These are things that I do naturally.

Be sure to tell her that you could hear her relaxing music etc. She'll love the compliment.

Imagine her saying in her younger days, she was a stipper or a prostitute. Your mouth would drop open for sure. Then you'd say, I thought you might be a ministers wife. :)

Carl