I know I have talked about this particular character before. I've dubbed him "Mr. Merry Christmas Forever" because of the way he charismatically wished everyone a Merry Christmas until about March. He's a very fascinating, intelligent human and though he rarely comes out of his room, I feel like we're actually kind of friends, or at least solid acquaintances. I guess in the sitcom that is my life, he plays the role of the nutty-yet-lovable neighbor who appears in the hallway long enough to offer a profound thought or deliver a one-liner.
He's always been strange, but he's gotten weirder over the past eight months. A couple of weeks ago, I made the following list in my journal:
REASONS THE GUY ACROSS THE HALL IS A MAD SCIENTIST
- He calls his room "The Laboratory"
• He says he's writing in there all the time, but what is he REALLY doing?
- Sometimes, his door is blocked off with black duct tape
•
- The silent, beautiful, mysterious woman he lives with
• Is she his lover?
• His sister?
• His assistant from a small Eastern European country who doesn't speak any English?
• The first prototype in his army of clones?
• An android robot he created?
- The Hair
• Does he put gel in it or does it stand straight up on it's own?
• Did he take a lawn mower to the back of it?
- The Walk
• He always looks like he's on his way to ring the bell tower
• Really, what's with the limp?
• Is he just being melodramatic or does he have gout?
- The way he enthusiastically greets people in the hallway
• Nothing says "I secretly have a whole room full of hideous science experiments" like a hearty "GOOD EEEEEVENING!"
- He's probably one of the smartest people I have ever personally met
• In the words of The Poet, "That man has way too many IQ points to be normal and sane."
- Sometimes, he keeps his chest full of notebooks outside of his door
• The notebooks are all FULL of crazy, illegible handwriting*
• Some have charts, drawings, and diagrams
*(Yes, I sat in the hallway one night and flipped through this guy's notebooks like the good little voyeuristic creep that I am. In my defense, I had his permission to do this.)
This guy is TOTALLY a mad scientist. I am convinced.
Notebooks chock full of drawings, driagrams, and unintelligible handrwriting? Sounds like your neighbor is the reincarnation of Leonardo da Vinci.
ReplyDeleteHe sounds amazing. You should interview him for your blog. =D
ReplyDeleteHaha, I love that you did this!
ReplyDeleteIf you need help translation any of that Eastern European, I might be of some help, but I'm gonna have to have you put something in writing saying that I won't blow up :D
Love your blog!
Loved the Tom Waits reference..."what is he building in there?"
ReplyDeleteMaybe it isn't asbestos in your pipes that's making everyone sick...maybe it's whatever he making in his room.
Meth lab?
Definitely a mad scientist. Or Meth lab. Although that's still technically a mad scientist.
ReplyDelete