"Alright, Mr. Wogglebug. Now if you'll just sign right here," said the landlord of the apartment building which Mr.. Wogglebug had just rented a temporary home in as she handed him a clipboard with an ink pen attached to it. He took the items and signed his name on the bottom line then handed them back to her.
"Remember, your apartment number is 4A, and the monthly rent is eight-hundred dollars," she said. "And while you're here you may get to know the other tenants. I think you'll find them very interesting, and they'll find you the same."
Mr. Wogglebug smiled and nodded to her as they went their separate ways then as he went up the stairs to settle into his apartment.
Once he was in there he found a bed, a nightstand, a dresser, and a closet in the bedroom with a bathroom off to the side, and in the bedroom he found a sofa, a coffee table, and an empty bookshelf.
"We could use a little decorating around here," he said to himself.
He then took his green suitcase which he always kept with him when he traveled and took out piles and piles of books and stacked them into the bookshelf. He then took out a large flower-pot with a set of geraniums growing in it and set it on the coffee table. After this he went into the bedroom again and took out of his suitcase a large plaid blanket and set it down on top of the bed. Then he took from the suitcase various colorful paintings of places and people he knew of in the Land of Oz where he was originally from.
"There, that's more like it," he said as he gazed with satisfaction around the room.
Then he got top of the bed and started jumping on it. He did this for a while and then when he tired of it he decided to g knock on door in the hallway and get to know some of his neighbors.
The first door he knocked on was numbered 3A. After he had knocked on the door it was opened by a medium-sized man with short brown hair and eyes and a matching mustache. He was wearing a light brown suit. His face was also careworn and lined prematurely. When he spoke it was in a mild English accent.
"Hello there," he said. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"
"My name is Mr. H. M. Wogglebug T. E.," he said extending his hand which the man took hold of and shook. "I just moved into this building and am a new neighbor to you so I thought I'd get to know you. What is your name?"
"My name is Ray Desmond Brown," he replied, "and I am from London, England."
"I thought you were," said Mr. Wogglebug. "So what do you do? What is your profession?"
"Well, when I was in London I was a teacher for a while," replied Ray.
"Really? So was I," said Mr. Wogglebug.
"So where exactly are you from, Mr... Wogglebug, is it?" asked Ray.
"Yes, and I am from a place far away that is beyond the rainbow and behind the moon," Mr. Wogglebug replied.
"Behind the moon? That reminds me, there is to be a full moon tonight, isn't there?" asked Ray, sounding as if it really mattered.
"Why, yes. There is. Why does it matter to you though?" he asked curiously.
"Oh, just that the full moon is a special thing to me," said Ray a bit hesitantly.
Mr. Wogglebug smiled. "Oh yes. I do understand how some people regard the full moon as a thing of mystical wonders. Especially at this time of year. It's Halloween soon you know."
"Yes, I do," said Ray. "And Halloween is also a very meaningful time of the year to me. Well, would you like to come in for some tea?" he asked after a moment.
"Why, yes. I think I'd love to," said Mr. Wogglebug cordially.
So Ray stepped to the side and let Mr. Wogglebug into his apartment. Once inside he sat down in an armchair that was beside a tea-table and another armchair while Ray went to the kitchen to get the tea.
As he waited patiently he noticed there was a bit of something stuck onto the side of the armchair he was sitting in. He reached down and picked it off and then looked at it. He saw that it was a kind of hair, and on further inspection he saw that it was too thick and prickly to be a human's hair so it had to be an animal's.
Just then he heard Ray coming out of the kitchen with the tea-things so he carefully slipped the bit of hair into his inside pocket and thought he would look at it further later.
"Do you have a dog or a cat?" asked Mr. Wogglebug curiously.
"Why, no, I don't," replied Ray. "Why do you ask?"
"Just curious is all. I mean animals make the most excellent companions," said Mr. Wogglebug as Ray set the tea-things down upon the table.
"Would you care for sugar?" he asked.
"Yes,two lumps if you please," replied Mr. Wogglebug.
So Ray mixed two lumps of sugar in a teacup and handed it to Mr. Wogglebug. Then they chatted a little more as they had their tea.
"Do you know anyone else who lives in this building?" asked Mr. Wogglebug towards the end of the session.
"Yes, I know of a fine gentleman who lives in 2A, his name is Drake Cohen," said Ray. "I also know of two sisters who live together in 1A. Their names are Yetta and Yeti. Yetta is a very sweet and cordial woman, though her sister is a bit... prickly at times."
"Well, I think I'd love to make their acquaintances as well," said Mr. Wogglebug. "Goodbye Ray Desmond. I had a lovely time."
"Will you come to see again?" asked Ray hopefully.
"Of course," said Mr. Wogglebug before he exited the apartment.
He then went the door numbered 2A and tapped gently at it. Moments later the door was opened by a tall and thin man with very short and flat midnight black hair and very pale, almost chalk-white, skin. He was wearing a very black and rather expensive looking suit. His eyes were slightly narrow and dark and beady. When he spoke he had a thick Transylvania accent.
"Good afternoon to you," he said. "What brings you here to my humble abode?"
"I am a new tenant in this building. My name is Mr. H. M. Wogglebug T. E.. I was wanting to get to know my new neighbors here and I heard about you from Ray Desmond Brown."
"Ah, yes! Ray Desmond is very fine fellow. He and I are the best of friends as we do have much in common," he said. "My name is Drake Cohen by the way."
"So I've heard," said Mr. Wogglebug.
They shook hands then and Mr. Wogglebug felt that Drake's hand was quite cold to the touch, almost like ice.
"You feel rather cold to me," he mentioned. "You also look a bit pale. Are you feeling alright?"
"I feel alright, thanks," said Drake. "It's just that I am not used to this climate or the weather of this time of year, being from Transylvania you know."
"Oh, and how did you get all the way to here from there?" asked Mr. Wogglebug.
"I flew from there to here," replied Drake. "It is the only way to travel for me."
"Of course, I should have known," said Mr. Wogglebug. "Well, what is your profession?"
"I will say only that I work in a night shift," replied Drake. "Because I cannot take any day jobs as I am extremely allergic to sunlight and bright fluorescent lights."
"Oh, well then I don't want to keep you from getting your rest for tonight," Mr. Wogglebug said.
"It was a pleasure meeting you," Drake said. "Come back again."
Mr. Wogglebug waved goodbye to Drake and then went over to the door numbered 1A where he knocked softly upon it.
Then it was opened by a short woman with short blonde hair that was in loose curls and pale blue eyes. She was wearing a long white dress that reached to her ankles and in her arms she was holding a large black cat with big yellow eyes. Beside of her was another slightly taller woman with a rather gaunt and bony face and deep green eyes and dark red lips and jet black hair that was pulled back in a tight bun behind her head. She was wearing a long dress of the same style as the other woman except it was a deep ebony black.
"Hello, my two fine ladies," said Mr. Wogglebug tipping his hat to them. "I'm your new neighbor living in apartment 4A. I heard about you from Ray Desmond Brown and thought I should meet you."
"Very thoughtful of you," said the woman in white with a glowing smile. "My name is Yetta Ezine and this is my sister Yeti. We're both from Boston and are new here as well."
"Well, how are you enjoying your stay here in New York?" asked Mr.. Wogglebug.
"I'm enjoying it," said Yetta. "It's a very interesting place with many kind people and things to see."
"I think it could be better though," said Yeti. "I just find it to be so... un-magical."
"Well, what is your professions?" asked Mr. Wogglebug.
"We both own a little shop down town on the East Side," said Yetta. "We'd like you to come and see it some time if you can."
"I'm sure I'd love to," said Mr. Wogglebug. "What exactly do you sell at this little shop of yours."
"Oh, well, just.." Yetta started to say, but then she was abruptly cut off by her sister."
"Just a lot of stuff that you wouldn't be the least bit interested in," she said a bit snappily. "We give our items only for very specific people."
"Oh," said Mr. Wogglebug slightly taken aback.
"Please don't mind my sister," said Yetta. "She's just always grumpy like this because she has a bit of a sleeping disorder."
"Oh, I see," said Mr. Wogglebug.
"What do you mean? I have no such thing!" exclaimed Yeti indignantly.
"Well... I think maybe I should be moving on now," said Mr. Wogglebug. "It's been a pleasure meeting both of you."
"The same here," said Yetta warmly.
Mr. Wogglebug then reached out and gave the cat in Yetta's arms a very gentle petting on the back and it purred warmly in response to it. Then he waved goodbye and went on his way.
"I do believe I am going to enjoy living here," he said to himself. "There's such interesting people."
