Divination

3 Heddwig

     Bang, Bang, Bang. I hear pounding on my front door and I glance at my clock that now reads 7:00 am. Great, I'm not even dressed yet! Who is knocking on my door this early? I think to myself as I grab my terry cloth robe from the foot of my bed and slip it on along with my slippers. I may like getting up early, but I certainly do not like being bothered this early.

     I walk through my chilly apartment and glance through the peep-hole window to see Hettie, the very opinionated elderly neighbor from next door, staring back at me and I'm instantly less annoyed. I try to prepare myself for what she wants this time. Even the smallest of things set her off and she feels the need to rush over to tell me about them. I just hope I'm not the focus of her tirade this time. I Open my door and step aside, already knowing Hedwig was just going to come in with or without invitation anyways.

     " What happened this time Heddie?" I ask, waiting for her to start gossiping or telling me about the latest injustice.

     " Oh nothing dear. Can't I just come over for coffee every once in awhile?" Heddie says in her annoyed voice, but I suspect it's just an act. " Goodness girl! You're still in your pajamas at this hour? Aren't you going to do anything today?" Heddie is the type of woman who makes sure her looks are pristine before anything else. Today my neighbor dresses in a matchy matchy outfit you'd typically see older people wear. She has on a blue shirt with a sparkling swirly pattern and her pants were the exact same shade made out of a stretchy material with an elastic waist band.

     " Heddie, I don't have to go into work until this afternoon, besides its only 7:00 am." I tell her as I put on a pot of coffee in my coffee pot. Heddie always tells me that there's no point in making my extravagant coffee as she calls it because she will fix it up with cream and sugar anyways.

     " Perfect time to get up dear. You know if you woke up earlier you'd be able to have this apartment a little tidier." It's so normal for her to scrutinize my apartment, but I pay her no attention. I suspect that no matter how clean my apartment is, it will never be clean enough for her standards.

     " You're right, so are you sure there's nothing you wanted to tell me?" I give her a knowing smile.

     " Well since I'm already over, have you seen the furniture piling up by our dumpsters? Bulk trash doesn't come until next week and now I have to look at that trash for a whole week. People are so tasteless." I knew there was something, there is always something.

     " You're right they shouldn't leave their junk out to be an eye sore for so long."

     " They shouldn't leave it out period. It's plain tacky." I nod as she went on. I just chalked Heddie's bitterness up to her being alone. No one came to visit her, so I never minded her spending time with me. I enjoyed the company and entertainment.

     I poured her a cup of coffee and didn't complain when she added a healthy amount of cream and sugar. I figure she's old enough to know what she likes. I poured my cup the only way I drink it, black as the night. I love feeling the buzz of caffeine snaking through my veins and giving me a jolt.

     " I love your blouse Heddie, is it new?" I already knew it was. She has a rather limited wardrobe so it's easy to notice when she gets new clothes.

     " Yeah, Kohls was having a sale and they matched my pants perfectly. Don't you think?" I knew all of her weak points, coffee, shopping, and gossip.

     "yup, same shade," I told her lovingly. Even though it wasn't my style it matched her perfectly. Heddie and I sat at my dining room table as we caught up on what neighbor spent the night with who, what neighbor she suspects of selling drugs and the management not sending someone to fix her sink in a timely manner. I listen intently as I nod my head and go along with what she is saying. I really do enjoy her company. Not even because she's the only friend I have either, which is also true.