Paper | Thin

12/03/99

Paper | Thin - Navigation

The apartment is quiet between the hours of 3 pm and 4 pm. That’s when both sisters in the apartment next door nap. But when nap time is over, I hear that familiar click-clack of Flo walking across the kitchen floor, the whine of the fridge door opening, and the rattle of bottles when the fridge is then closed. It took me some time to figure out why her steps sounded like a crow trying to break open a walnut, but eventually, her sister Aggie filled me in, only she didn’t know I was listening; I’ve never met either of the sisters, but these walls are paper-thin.

It was last month. I remember the day because I had the worst hangover of my life, incurred from an evening of debaucherous fun—I’m told—at an open bar wedding the night before. There was a sudden click clack click clack click clack coming from what felt like inside my skull. I was going to yell or bang on the wall—or cry—but then Aggie yelled to her sister, “Would you take those damn tap shoes off! You’re not sixteen anymore!” And thank God Almighty Flo did take off those shoes, but it turned out to be a short-lived reprieve because a week later, they’d returned. She never danced in them after that first day, no, just wore them around the apartment, a sad click, clack, click, clack, like a forlorn school clock until 3 pm. Naptime.

But even when they’re napping, I can hear the sisters. Flo snores and Aggie sometimes laughs in her sleep. I’ve asked around; nobody in the building has ever actually seen them. Apparently, they’ve been living here for over thirty years—thirty years!

It’s 4:30 pm, and they’re discussing Dolly Dawn and Her Dawn Patrol. I have no idea what that is, but now Flo is singing, so I’m guessing it’s an old musician or something. Aggie is getting irritated with her sister, telling her to calm down, and now Flo is singing louder. I think she’s trying to piss Aggie off. It’s working. A dog from somewhere else in the building is barking, there’s a cable car ringing its bell out front, and Flo is walking around the kitchen. Click, clack, click, clack. I need to get out of this place for a bit.

---

I hope you’ve enjoyed this fist installment of Paper | Thin. I’m not sure what these sisters are all about, but I’ve checked with their neighbor, and he’s agreed to keep us updated. He said he’s relatively new to the building, so he’ll be discovering more about these ladies alongside us.

Shout out to

Honeygloom

for the format inspiration; she does a great ongoing story that you can check out here: August Evelyn Nevernight

Head on over to The Gut Punch to see Steve’s band Doomsday Snooze Button play a reunion show. He’s a little nervous—stage fright is a bitch!

Doomsday Snooze Button (I)