The Devil you Know Part 1

Jay Street in Albany during the 80’s, is a street in transition. On the lower half of the block is a park that consists of a broken bench and dead grass.There you go to buy drugs any other thing  you might need. Hookers wander near this strip of grass looking for dates and drunks use the bench and grass to sleep on.  I learned this after I walked through a drug deal after a night out. 

After I step around a drunk and I meet two lovely hookers looking for a date. Hookers don't care that you tell them you're gay, it doesn't even slow them down. Strange enough, it’s the middle of Jay street that you need to really look out for. Imagine walking on a paint strip sample, except that the shades get scarier in one direction.

Tommy and Roy bought a beautiful three story pre-war building on the corner of Jay and Dove Street that is in need of serious repair. They have been doing a lot of the work themselves because Tommy is a contractor and Roy is a lawyer with deep pockets. Bill M. and I live in the basement of their building under the front steps.

It really is a cool little apartment. You enter from the street, unlock that door and step into a little mud room area, then you open a second door that leads into our apartment.

Right now on the other side of this door, I am crawling around on my hands and knees trying to get away from Bill M. and  trying to get out.

Bill M. grabs me as I reached for the door, then throws me through the air. I crawl out of his way but currently he is right behind me. Bill M. jumpson me and just like in the cartoons, we are rolling back and forth on the carpet. I use all the strength I have to shove Bill M. off of me and begin crawling, rolling and throwing anything that my hands can find at Bill M. This doesn't slow him down, just makes him madder.

Bill M. is screaming nonsensical sentences and talking about the walls listening to him all the time and that he’s sick of it. He is coming at me and I’m screaming for help. Every time I yell he tells me that the landlords know what’s going on and they don't care, they have been videotaping it for days. 

I have to thank god for Horror Movies because they have taught me the survival skills I now have. Even though several skills are useless like screaming and running in heels. I quickly adopt the language I see when you are dealing with a lunatic on the screen. I began to talk in a soothing voice, saying things like “I understand, it’s a terrible thing that they are doing.” 

Bill M. stops and cocks his head while I’m talking. I think of Frankenstein picking flowers with the little girl, my window is not open long and I need to wrap it up and get help.

While he ponders what I said, I come to my feet and bolt for the front door as I do I see Tommy coming home and walking towards the front steps of the building. I reach the door and start screaming, Bill M. springs back into life and lunges for me. I grab the knob with all my might and Bill M. is trying to pull me fingers off the knob. I can see Tommy paused at the bottom of the stairs talking to a neighbor and I scream with all my might. Tommy’s head turns in my direction and I unlock the front door. Bill M. and I fall into the mud room.

To be continued………..

Geoffrey Doig-Marx holds all written and electronic rights to his writing "A Day in the Life". It can not be reprinted in part or whole without his written consent.