The Drama Below Me

So I live in an old house, renting out the top floor as my apartment. There is an apartment below me as well, and I have definitely met my neighbor. He is a 22 year old tall, scrawny babydaddy, who is a bit of an idiot has some "challenges" (there, that's a good social worky term). In our first meeting we just chatted briefly about the mail. I hadn't gotten any since I moved in 3 weeks prior, and we share a common slot in the sidelight panel next to the door. The next time we met I was down at the bottom of my inside stairwell, hammering some nails into the stick-on weather stripping the landlord had sloppily applied. It got his attention and he came out. His music was busting a groove inside, and he was also doing choring. For some reason, he thought I had a son. Um, no. I hadn't even had a child in my apartment at that point. That led to him talking about his various and assorted children. At 22.

Babydaddy has an ex-girlfriend who had the care of their two toddlers, and subsequently lost them to a child welfare agency, and they were adopted out recently. He kicked out his current pregnant-with-his-twins-ex-girlfriend earlier that week, and had her stuff piled in the basement. He plans to sue her for custody of the twins when they are born. Babydaddy works nights as a cleaner, for that ex-girlfriend's father, where he was recently fired from one location. There was also mention of some fights, cops were called, drama, drama...and so on. I think I must have a sign on me somewhere that encourages people to tell me their entire life story - unload drama here? Anyhow. I don't really mind, I was just surprised to hear so much personal detail in a second conversation with a neighbor. There is a HUGE framed photograph of the two children who were adopted out, hanging over the mantle. Yes, the mantle. Babydaddy has a fireplace in his apartment. I am somewhat jealous. It is inoperable, though, so I am not super jealous. I do like it though...

So anyhow, babydaddy likes to play his tunes, loud. Some of it is hip hop, which I can tolerate...then there is the rap-crap...sorry, I do not do rap. I find it catchy to listen to for brief periods of time, however I do not enjoy listening to people yell rhyming obscenities when I am attempting to relax in my home. He also listens to COUNTRY MUSIC. I know, I was also suprised. From rap to country, directly...it's not like he listens to country for a few hours then switches to rap, I mean he can go from a 50 cent rap to some country bumpkin howling out a tune of woe (lost my dog, my truck, my job, my beer, and my girlfriend)...and the best part is he SINGS ALONG, out loud, and it is fucking hilarious. I think he either doesn't care, or doesn't think that I am home. I don't have a stereo to drown him out with yet. I just have my television, which can play quite loudly, but not like a stereo - it just sounds like a loud television.

Needless to say, there shall be drama to enfold below me. I am hoping to stay OUT of it, however I am interested in seeing how it all plays out. I feel like I am back in Sunnydale again. At least he works nights so there isn't any late-night loud rap -country music. He only plays it for a while in the mornings before he goes to bed for a few hours. I am usually gone during the day so it doesn't bother me. He plays around suppertime for a few hours sometimes as well, but then he his off to work. So I don't mind it too much. It could be much worse. My darling daughter had her own idiot living above her apartment, playing heavy metal all night until 5 am...loudly. Right now it's mid-morning here and he's playing "Boot scootin' booty"....