Thread by @gauravsabnis

Just had a very #NYC experience. Kinda cute story, with a lot of low key awkwardness from everyone involved.

It was 5:30 A.M. I was awake and it was quiet. I heard a doorbell ring. Not ours, but on our floor. Then it rang many times. And there was urgent knocking. And voices.

I thought, okay, maybe someone locked out trying to wake up their partner or roommate to be let in. But several minutes passed by and I heard more of the ringing & banging & voices. And then what was clearly a woman either crying or saying something in distress.

So I'm suddenly like, wait, is this "a situation", the kind where it's my duty to step out and see if I need to call the authorities? Grabbed a baseball bat we keep handy, stepped out. Carefully peeped out and around the corner. It was a next door neighbor. And a new one.

Covid lockdown means we generally know all the neighbors on our floor, but this was an apartment right next to ours that had been empty for a couple of years. It was taken recently by two young women. Maybe two or three months ago.

So like the default NYC culture, we have so far been only in the "politely nod and half smile in the hallway or lobby" level of neighborness. Don't know each other's names or anything.

One of those women was half hugging the door looking very upset. But at least she was alone.

My initial fear had been maybe it's a Friday night hookup going wrong, which is why I had stepped out. With a bat.

As she saw me & the bat, she shrank a little. And looked scared. She was dressed in quite short leather clothing, clearly getting back after a Friday night out.

But as she recognized me, she relaxed, and apologetically said,

"I'm so sorry for waking you up. I forgot my keys. I thought my roommate would be awake cos she has to go to work at 6 AM. But she isn't waking up or answering her phone. I'm so sorry."

So okay, not "a situation".

But still a neighbor in distress. And she was clearly in that very annoyed agitated and also self-flagellating state that anyone who has forgotten their keys and locked themselves out of their house knows too well.

"Oh don't worry about it. What New Yorker hasn't done this? 😁"

She giggled in a way that suggested she was at least somewhat drunk. Moment of awkward silence. Is my duty here done?

This isn't the first time I've met a neighbor locked out. I usually invite them in, and they wait until security guys comes with extra keys & we chat a bit.

But all those previous interactions (5 in 10 years, including one where Rupal was locked out and waited with a neighbor until I got home) have been.... How do I put this.... "Not loaded"?

Middle of the day, middle aged people, really nothing to think about much.

So on the one hand I'm like, I should offer her, come on in, we are right next door. Have a seat. Call security for the extra key. I'll make some chai while we chat.

But on the other hand
- it's dark out, 530 AM
- she is an attractive young woman, dressed in nightclub wear

I don't wanna come across as creepy middle aged uncle saying to this mid 20s woman, who literally looks like she's stepped out of a hip hop video, and was clearly at least a bit buzzed if not drunk, step into my apartment please.

"Did you call StuyTown public safety?" I ask.

"No, are they available at this time?"

Me: Yeah, 24 hrs. Just call and they'll come in 10-15 minutes and let you in, as long as you are on the lease and they can verify you are you.

Her: Oh yeah I have my ID.

Me: Lemme get my phone & look up their number real quick.

Stepping back into my apartment, I hoped @k_rupal would have woken up with all the noise. But she got her Moderna covid booster just last night. So she is covered in blankets, exhausted, maybe with a slight fever. I got my phone, looked up public safety, stepped out.

Me: Here's the number. By the way, if you need to wait while they get here, my wife & I are right next door. And I'm a morning bird, so it's not like you woke me up.

Her: Thank you so much. *notes number* Hopefully my roommate will wake up any minute. But I'll call them anyway.

I went back into the apartment. Through the walls, I could vaguely hear her making the call, which lasted a couple of minutes. Then it ended. But then I heard more doorbells. I stepped out again. She was looking at her phone.

Me: All good?

Her: They said they charge $50.

Me: Oh! The time we got locked out, the first "offense" was free. But yeah, $50 is kinda the standard rate.

Her: Oh, thank you. I think I'll just Uber back to my friend's place where I forgot the keys and Uber back. It'll be cheaper than $50.

Me: Okay...*thinking a bit*

At this point I'm thinking

a. If her roommate has to go to work at 6, it's almost 550 AM by now. Should we not be worried that she's not opening the door or answering her phone?

b. Is it really my place to ask this? Would it come across as a bit too familiar?

So I go with "Cool, if you need any help of any kind, we are in this apartment, and I'm going to be awake, so feel free to knock."

Her: Thank you so much. I will knock if I can't find an Uber. And sorry again for waking you up and making you get a bat, lol.

Me: lol

It is crazy how much life in New York throws up experiences right out of some New York based TV show. Or maybe so many TV shows are based in New York because the city's density and happening scene leads to more such human interactions. That can be written into stories.

Anyway, she got an Uber, left, got the keys, returned, is back home.

Hope the roommate is fine too. Probably just decided to sleep in after her own Friday night.

But you know, I could totally sense the exact moment when she mentally marked me as "safe".

Interesting morning!