The Man Next Door

St. Louis to Chicago

"Yes sir thank you so much Mr. Moore. I will not let you down. Once again thank you so much." Toby's mom, Amelia said on the phone.
When Toby got home his mom told him,"Toby I know this is hard just starting a new school but I got another promotion and to get we will have to move to Chicago. Are you mad?"
"No I'm fine, I never really liked my school." Toby responded. Toby was used to news like that like when he moved to Nashville, Little Rock and when his mom told him his dad died. "I'm glad you feel that way, now we are leaving here in about two days so start packing tonight." Amelia said. "Okay mom I'll be on it." Toby answered his mom. Toby got packing and was ready before dinner. They don't have a lot of items to pack so it was easy.
They were talking over dinner. "I really hope you'll fit in your unlike the school in Nashville, I just want the best for you Toby." His mom told Toby.
"You've always been good to me. Your the best person I know." He responded to her. She slurped up a noodle,"You're just saying that. Trust me honey you don't have to say that." Toby felt sad that his mom didn't think he loved her. It was kinda painful for him to feel that way.
It was the day to move and it wasn't tiring for any of them. Toby and his mom have moved almost every year in his life. When they finished Amelia said to Toby,"Trust me Toby I know this place will be our last place to move." Toby knew she wasn't for sure if it would be our last. If only she didn't have that job, he thought. "I'm excited to move there mom it must be amazing." He was never excited to move anywhere. It was only 7 hours in the truck.
When they reached Chicago they stopped at a house. They both got out and Amelia said,"Well I know it's small but it's the best we got." "It's fine mom. Actually it's probably one of the biggest houses we've had," Toby added to her statement,"Plus we have some neighbors, maybe later we can say hello."
Both Toby's mom and Toby toured the house and met back. Then Amelia said,"Wow this place is actually amazing. A lot of space and an area for you to play out back." "Mom I'm not 7 anymore I'm 11."
Toby told his mom and his mom said,"I know but your my little baby and I'll never let anything happen to you."
"So how about we meet our neighbors and see if I can make a friend." He begged his mom, he never made friends easily and if he did it was mainly for 2-3 days before he moved again.
"Wait we still have to unload half of our stuff. Trust me, we will." Toby believed her.
Later when they finished he asked again and she said,"Okay I'll go and if I'm gone too long come and get me."
While she was over to my house, she knocked and waited for one minute. Toby's mom saw the door knob wiggle and then she saw a 67 year old man in a Hawaiian shirt and underwear. "Hello I'm Amelia and I just moved here with my son. I live right next door. And you are?" I slammed the door and she knocked again.
She only heard,"I'm bald blurry." "Wait your bald blurry." she said confused.
I answered the door and said in a loud voice,"I said I'm Oswald Murray." "Hello Mr. Oswald..."she said quickly. No you can call me Murray, Mr. Murray or Murray, I don't like Oswald." I said frustrated.
"Okay Murray, I wanted to say hello and you're rude, bye." I saw her walk away and I shut the door.
"Bye Melia." I said before I shut the door.
When she got home Toby asked about me and she told him,"He's great got two kids at college and living by himself. He's a great guy."
"Really can I go over to his house some time?" Toby asked so delighted. "Oh no you can not because....fine here's the truth, he's a nasty, mean old man, I don't want you to be by him." She said truthfully. "Okay mom but couldn't I see him often," Toby spoke,"I have no friends please." "Maybe, I'll think about it now go to bed." Toby was delighted to see me soon. I was certainly not what he expected or even what he thought I was like. He thought I was young had a boat load of hair and was handsome. Boy was he wrong