Joe walked to the door of his apartment building feeling better than he had in a long time. It felt good to know someone really cared about him. He gave a small growl and pushed at the doubt that threatened to take his happiness away. He was not going to let what his family had done to him make him bitter.
He climbed the stairs and stopped in front of his door; his key already positioned in his hand. "Hi there," came a voice from behind him.
Joe spun around, his muscles taunt as he took a fighting stance. He knew his neighborhood was bad but he was sure he would be all right as long as he kept his guard up.
"Easy there," said the man who looked to be in his early twenties. He looked quizzically at Joe through green eyes. "I didn't mean to startle you. Are you okay?"
"Fine," acknowledged Joe, standing up straight but remaining alert. "I didn't see you when I came down the hall."
"I just moved in across from you," the man replied. "I heard something and thought I would check it out."
"Not a wise idea in this place," Joe cautioned the tan, blond headed man. "There are a lot of drug deals that go down around here."
"You're into drugs?" the man asked with a scowl.
"No," denied Joe. "And the best way to stay alive is to keep your door shut when you do hear something."
"But what if someone needed help?" asked the blond curiously. "You expect me to just ignore them?"
"Trust me," Joe said. "No one around here is as innocent as they seem. Even the little old lady on the floor below us is packing."
"I'll keep that in mind," the guy said. "I'm Todd Parsons," he introduced himself.
"Joe," Joe replied, not divulging his last name. "Welcome to the neighborhood, such as it is," he added ruefully. "Night," he said, opening his door and stepping inside. He shut the door firmly and locked it using all three deadbolts. Todd seemed nice but one could never tell.
Joe was up early the next morning. He did his morning exercise routine, wishing for the thousandth time he had the time and money for a gym, then showered and dressed. He grabbed what he needed and headed for the door. It was bad enough Rick had seen the outside of the building. He didn't want Rick seeing the shape of his apartment as well.
Joe exited his apartment making sure to lock it behind him. As he turned around he saw Todd's door open. "Hi, Joe," Todd greeted him. "I was just on my way to breakfast. Want to join me?"
"Thanks, but I have plans," Joe replied with a hesitant expression. Why was Todd being so nice?
"Sorry," Todd said. "I don't mean to seem pushy. I'm from Virginia near the North Carolina border," he explained. "It's kind of hard getting used to this place. Back home a stranger is just a friend you haven't met; not a potential mugger."
"I understand," Joe said with a smile. "But you do need to be careful."
"I will," Todd promised. "But since you're warning me, I suspect you're one of the good guys. So...how about breakfast? My treat?" he tempted.
"Thank you, but I already have a date for breakfast," Joe politely declined the offer for a second time. "See ya."
"Bye," Todd said. He watched with a sad expression as Joe hurried down the hall to the steps. Once Joe was out of sight, Todd went back into his room and picked up the phone.
"I couldn't get him to go to breakfast with me," he said into the phone when the connection was met. "I know," he continued after listening for a minute. "Don't worry. I'm not going to give up. I promise. By the end of the week Joe won't have a life here." He hung up and ran a hand through his hair. Now, all he had to do was keep his promise
He climbed the stairs and stopped in front of his door; his key already positioned in his hand. "Hi there," came a voice from behind him.
Joe spun around, his muscles taunt as he took a fighting stance. He knew his neighborhood was bad but he was sure he would be all right as long as he kept his guard up.
"Easy there," said the man who looked to be in his early twenties. He looked quizzically at Joe through green eyes. "I didn't mean to startle you. Are you okay?"
"Fine," acknowledged Joe, standing up straight but remaining alert. "I didn't see you when I came down the hall."
"I just moved in across from you," the man replied. "I heard something and thought I would check it out."
"Not a wise idea in this place," Joe cautioned the tan, blond headed man. "There are a lot of drug deals that go down around here."
"You're into drugs?" the man asked with a scowl.
"No," denied Joe. "And the best way to stay alive is to keep your door shut when you do hear something."
"But what if someone needed help?" asked the blond curiously. "You expect me to just ignore them?"
"Trust me," Joe said. "No one around here is as innocent as they seem. Even the little old lady on the floor below us is packing."
"I'll keep that in mind," the guy said. "I'm Todd Parsons," he introduced himself.
"Joe," Joe replied, not divulging his last name. "Welcome to the neighborhood, such as it is," he added ruefully. "Night," he said, opening his door and stepping inside. He shut the door firmly and locked it using all three deadbolts. Todd seemed nice but one could never tell.
Joe was up early the next morning. He did his morning exercise routine, wishing for the thousandth time he had the time and money for a gym, then showered and dressed. He grabbed what he needed and headed for the door. It was bad enough Rick had seen the outside of the building. He didn't want Rick seeing the shape of his apartment as well.
Joe exited his apartment making sure to lock it behind him. As he turned around he saw Todd's door open. "Hi, Joe," Todd greeted him. "I was just on my way to breakfast. Want to join me?"
"Thanks, but I have plans," Joe replied with a hesitant expression. Why was Todd being so nice?
"Sorry," Todd said. "I don't mean to seem pushy. I'm from Virginia near the North Carolina border," he explained. "It's kind of hard getting used to this place. Back home a stranger is just a friend you haven't met; not a potential mugger."
"I understand," Joe said with a smile. "But you do need to be careful."
"I will," Todd promised. "But since you're warning me, I suspect you're one of the good guys. So...how about breakfast? My treat?" he tempted.
"Thank you, but I already have a date for breakfast," Joe politely declined the offer for a second time. "See ya."
"Bye," Todd said. He watched with a sad expression as Joe hurried down the hall to the steps. Once Joe was out of sight, Todd went back into his room and picked up the phone.
"I couldn't get him to go to breakfast with me," he said into the phone when the connection was met. "I know," he continued after listening for a minute. "Don't worry. I'm not going to give up. I promise. By the end of the week Joe won't have a life here." He hung up and ran a hand through his hair. Now, all he had to do was keep his promise