thinking about Alice in 418

she seems

lonely, Alice does.

home

with her cats on a Friday night.

me below

with my small dog.

i can

hear her above me in

her apartment,

the tv on,

the scent of soup on the stove

eeking through

the vent.

i hear her

walking around

at times,

or dancing, the music up,

but with whom?

we see each other on the elevator

in the morning,

going to work,

or when coming home with

a bag of

groceries.

i see no ring on her finger

and she sees

no ring on mine.

there's the first sign of grey

in her

hair, but less

than what i have.

we nod and say it's cold out.

or talk about

the rain.

have a nice evening,

we say kindly

to one another,

then go our separate ways,

me to the third

floor,

her to 418.