Love, Rosie (194 page)

that’s
worth
writing
about.

Alex:

Rosie:

Alex:

Rosie:

Alex:

Rosie:

How’s
the
job?

It’s
OK.
I’ve
been
here
a
few
weeks
now
so
I’ve
settled
in
and
it’s

going
OK.
Nothing
to
write
home
about.

Sorry
I
wasn’t
in
touch
sooner.
I
hadn’t
realized
it
had
been
so
long.

Time
has
been
flying
by
once
again.

It’s
OK.
I
assumed
you
were
busy.
I’ve
moved
into
my
apartment

now
and
everything.

Oh
gosh
that’s
right.
How
is
it?

It’s
OK.
It
was
absolutely
dire
when
we
first
moved
in.
The
place

stunk,
there
was
mold
growing
on
the
ceilings,
damp
rising
up
the

walls
but
Brian
the
Whine
was
a
really
good
help.
He
fixed
all
that

was
broken
and
cleaned
what
was
dirty.
Just
like
a
regular
little
slave.

Alex:

Rosie:

Alex:

Rosie:

Alex:

Rosie:

Alex:

Rosie:

So
are
you
and
he
getting
along
then?

Better.
I
only
have
the
urge
to
strangle
him
ten
times
a
day
now.

Well
it’s
a
start.
Any
romance?

What?
With
Brian
the
Whine?!

Yes.

You
need
your
head
examined.
The
man
was
created
for
scraping

mold
and
sanding
floors
only.

Oh.
Anyone
else
in
your
life?

Yes
actually.
A
13-year-old
daughter,
a
new
job,
and
a
drawer
full

of
bills.
My
hands
are
pretty
full
at
the
moment.
Although
my

neighbor
did
ask
me
to
go
out
on
a
date
with
him
this
weekend.

Alex:

Rosie:

Alex:

Rosie:

Oh
right.
So
are
you
going
out
with
him?

Let
me
tell
you
a
little
bit
about
him
first
and
then
maybe
you
can

help
me
with
the
dilemma
I’m
faced
with.

That’s
what
best
friends
are
for.

His
name
is
Sanjay,
he’s
sixty
years
old,
and
he’s
married,
lives
with

his
wife
and
two
sons,
and
owns
and
runs
the
Indian
takeaway
down-

stairs.
Oh
and
you’ll
never
guess
where
he
invited
me
out
for
dinner.

love,
rosie

293

Alex:

Rosie:

Alex:

Rosie:

Alex:

Rosie:

Where?

His
Indian
takeaway
downstairs.
He
said
he
would
pay.

So
what’s
your
dilemma?

Very
funny.

Well
at
least
you
have
friendly
neighbors.

He’s
not
the
nicest
by
far.
Beside
me
there’s
the
owner
of
the
tattoo

parlor
(which
is
also
below
my
flat).
I
can’t
even
tell
what
color
he
is

underneath
the
tattoos
he
has
covering
his
body
from
head
to
toe.

He’s
got
beautiful
long
black
silky
hair
that
he
ties
back
in
a
plait

and
a
neatly
trimmed
goatee
framing
his
mouth.
He
wears
leather

trousers,
a
leather
waistcoat,
and
size
a
million
steel-toed
biker