Recently our next door neighbors in the apartment complex moved out, and about a week after that we saw somebody new moving furniture in. We weren’t sure that our new neighbors are actually living next door yet because we haven’t run into them, but two nights ago I figured I had my answer.
Our bedroom wall is shared with these neighbors, and it’s actually the same wall that our heads are right up against as we sleep. That night I woke up with a start and looked at the clock. 1:45 am. I laid there and listened and I heard nothing, so I rolled over and went back to sleep with the mental note to talk to Brian about switching our bedroom and office, since the office doesn’t share walls with any other tenants. I was concerned that our apparently noisy new neighbors were going to continue to interrupt my sleep.
Just moments before I looked at the clock, I heard a little boy whimpering and crying for his mom. After a bit I then heard him ask a question about “what was under there,” and heard his mom mumble something through the wall. Sounded like a kid getting scared in the middle of the night after moving into a new, strange place.
In the morning, after I slammed my hand onto the snooze button for the second time, I asked Brian if he heard the little boy.
“What little boy?” He asked.
“…you know, he was crying last night in the apartment next door. They must have a kid. You didn’t wake up?”
“Nope. And I don’t think anyone is living next door.”
“But I heard them!”
“…have you seen them?”
(in my small voice) “…nooo.”
And we still haven’t seen anyone come in or out of the apartment next door.
Psychobabble 