Invasion

I live in an apartment that shares space with the neighboring apartment.  It's an old house, and things/rooms...connect.  Thus, when you are in my neighbors space, you can also enter MY space.  (Sorry if that's confusing, if you saw the house you'd understand.)

Anyway, last week, I opened a door into the shared hall and a strange woman was there, about to go up the stairs to the second floor, where our bedrooms are.  I paused, and said "Hi.  Who are YOU?"

To this, I got a stony look and a sarcastic statement of "YOU must be the new girlfriend."

Ummmm, no.  I'm the neighbor.  And I told her this, all the while getting a sinking feeling that this was the woman I had been warned about recently by my neighbors family and friends. "She's crazy" they had said. "She keyed his car and destroyed the vegetable garden."  Uh oh. 

She repeated "No.  You're the NEW girlfriend."

To which I again replied "No, I'm the new NEIGHBOR" and asked "WHO ARE YOU?"

Response, after a good long pause?  "The OLD girlfriend".

Oh, Christ.  Here comes the bunny boiler.

In the end, my neighbor came into the house (he was outside working in the garage, I went running out to get him), dealt with the woman, and assured my shaking, freaked out self that she wouldn't be back.

Wrong.

But I'm sure you could see that coming, couldn't you?

Last night, New Years Eve, I was in the house alone.  My neighbor had gone out with friends,  and I was in bed way before midnight, I'm not a late night person at all.

At about 2:45, I became aware of a loud, repetitive noise.  At first I thought it was in a dream, but then the dogs started to get upset.  Elliot was barking and whining, and as I woke up a little more, I realized that the sound was no dream...someone was pounding on a door to the house.

Thinking maybe, just maybe, it was simply my neighbor trying to wake me up because he forgot his key, I went into his side of the house and approached the door.

And then I could see her.  It was the crazy lady, kicking and trying to break the door in.

Yeah, this deserves a call to 911.

The police came, arrested her, and took her away.  While I waited for the police, she actually did manage to come into the house thru a back door, and was about to enter the kitchen I was in when the officer showed up.  (The whole process took 2 hours, and involved some choice words from her to me, but I won't bore you with that part.)

After the officers took her away, I'm left alone, quaking like a leaf and feeling completely violated.

You know, I've heard the term "bunny boiler" and it's just one of those phrases that makes you cringe.  Aside from one viewing years ago, I don't think I'll ever watch Fatal Attraction again.

It hadn't occurred to me that one day I might find myself in a situation where I'm dealing with someone else's jilted lover, worrying for my own life. 

NOT a great way to start the New Year.