Last night as I was settling into bed around 1, my neighbor Lauren came home. We share a fairly thin wall, and sometimes I can hear what’s going on over there. Last night was a whole different story. She was SCREAMING on the phone about some guy who had been a jerk to her. I could hear every single word, and it sounded like a rough night. I couldn’t get to sleep at all. When her frustrated ‘ARGH!’ reached new decibels, I decided to get out of bed and knock on her door, to ask her politely to take it down a few notches.

As soon as she answered, all thoughts of asking her to be a little quieter went out the window. This girl Lauren is really nice - I’ve met her a couple times in passing - young, and pretty. When she answered the door, she was still wearing her holiday dress (a cute black cocktail dress). Her hair was all done, and her makeup too, but she still just looked crushed. She immediately started apologizing.

Lauren: I’m so sorry, was I keeping you up? I’m so so sorry. (its to be assumed she ascertained this fact based on my braless, contact-less, pajama-pant clad ensemble)

Me: (changing tone) No it’s totally fine, I just wanted to make sure you were ok.

Lauren: Are you serious?

Me: Yeah I mean, I just heard you yelling and it sounded like a rough night.

Lauren: Oh yeah, that. I just got denied by two guys, so. (this hits home with me)

Me: At a holiday party or something?

Lauren: Yeah.

Me: Those guys are idiots. You look beautiful (she did).

Lauren: (in disbelief) Wow, thank you. Are you serious with this?

Me: (laugh) Yeah I mean, I’ve been there. I’m sorry you had a rough night.

Lauren: Oh my god you are so sweet.

Me: (sincere) No big deal, I just wanted to check on you.

Lauren: (sincere) You are my new joy.

Me: (laughs - this is an odd statement, but touching) Well feel better, ok? Those guys are idiots (I am eloquent).

Lauren: Thanks so much.

Me: Of course.

*doors close*

Considering a good amount of my ‘conversations’ are done via IM, email and text messages, it was a breath of fresh air to have a real life conversation with a relative stranger, and to instantly bond over a life experience with someone I hardly knew. She was so taken aback that I took the time to see that she was okay, she was basically speechless. It shouldn’t be that shocking of a concept, should it? I think I’m going to knock on her door more often.