Ode to My Neighbor Laura

Walking up the staircase to my apartment my door is on the left, and Laura’s is on the right. My buddy Dan pointed out if we both opened our front doors with a single leap we could go from one person’s place to the other without ever touching outside (we’ve never done this, but I’m sure Dan would like to try).

I noticed Laura the first day I came to view the apartment. Apparently my buddy Brian noticed her too, because over a year later she still recalled the thumbs up he gave me regarding the attractive potential neighbor across the hall. I moved in.

Since that day Laura and I have become close friends. In fact we recently celebrated our birthdays together. That night, at a time well past sobriety, Laura said to me, “Kevin, you’re a good friend. You’ve always supported me.” I guess it’s nice to hear such things when all filters are off.

Laura and I both talk fast, and we listen fast too. We can go out to dinner for two hours, but get in three hours of conversation. It is very efficient. Plus, she has no problem with my subject jumps. At times when onlookers are confused trying to keep up we just roll on with the conversation, even though there may be 3-4 topics being discussed.

It is a relationship where frankness and honesty are appreciated and expected. We’ve already had many intimate conversations involving her different boyfriends, and she has very directly informed me why I should not have been dating the girls I was dating.

One of my friends quite some time ago (I don’t remember who, but it was probably a guy) asked me why I wasn’t pursuing the attractive female across the hall. I hesitated a bit, but I remember my answer. I said, “She seems like the type of girl that locks both of the locks on her door.” I was right.

Recently Laura set me up with one of her girlfriends. While on the date I mentioned seeing my nieces and nephews for Easter. My date commented that I had cute nieces and nephews. I asked her when she had seen them, and she said one of the pictures Laura sent was of me with the kids. It was like, “Look here he is with the kids. And he travels too.”

I didn’t even know Laura was also my personal sales representative. (I’m glad she has nice things to say about me.)

I write this blog to honor Laura the girl that: lives literally six feet from me, who locks both locks of her door when she’s home or not, has a princess complex, parks in the garage, included “panties” and “cute panties” as two separate things on her packing checklist, spends an inordinate amount of time with her phone both talking and texting, read my entire blog while on company time, makes an incredible lasagna, a loyal friend, and someone that I am glad to have as a part of my life.