aaron27's blog

“Here they go again,” I said. Propped up against my headboard, the arguing between my neighbor and his mother passed through the thin walls of our condo. Their unit and ours were attached and, unfortunately our bedroom backed up to theirs. I looked over at my husband. “I can’t take this constant bickering between them.”

Glen put the book he was reading on the night table. “What do you want to do about it?”

“I think it’s time to let them know we can hear every word they yell at each other.”

Allen, was a single, nerdy guy with a frail body, a receding hairline, and blotchy white skin. At 53 and still living with his mother, he was frustrated with his own life and it always came out as anger toward his mother. It also goaded me that he was always flirting and trying to invite me over for coffee. His mother, Rose, was the typical Jewish matriarchal mother who domineered her son.
“It’s getting late,” Glen said. “Maybe they’ll shut up soon.”

“You know they can go for an hour or more, and I need to get some sleep. I have several meetings tomorrow,” I said. “Come on, it will only take a few minutes. I’ll come with you.” I got up and put my robe on over my pajamas. I tossed a tank top at Glen as he swung his legs off the bed. He was wearing pj bottom shorts, but it wasn’t like we were going for a walk around the condo complex.

We walked to their front door and heard Allen and Rose as they continued to bitch at each other. Glen knocked quietly on the door. Nothing happened. Frustrated, I rapped my knuckles against the wood, loud enough to get some attention. The yelling stopped and a few seconds later, the door was yanked open. Allen stood there in just a pair of white briefs. I didn’t know what to do, so I simply looked down.

“What do you want?’ asked Allen.

Glen, cleared his throat and opened his mouth to explain just as Rose appeared in the doorway wearing a long chiffon nightgown and matching robe. At seventy-five, she still looked attractive. I was afraid he would chicken out from saying anything, so I started.

“Rose, you need to know that when you argue with Allen, we can hear you.”

Rose just shrugged, and Allen put his hands on his hips.

“It kind of keeps us from falling asleep,” Glen said with a sheepish look.

“We’re free to do whatever we want inside our own home,” said Allen, as he looked up from one or us to the other.

“We’re just asking as a favor,” I said.

“Go home and leave us alone,” he replied. Allen started to close the door.

“We’re just going to have to complain to the condo boards,” Glen said.

“Excuse me?”

“I mean it.”

Allen reached out and give Glen a little push back from the door. My husband looked a bit surprised and went to push back, but Allen gave him a quick tap to his tummy and grabbed him by the front of his tank top.

“Hey,” Glen called out just as Allen circled his skinny arm around his neck and forced him to double over. Glen reached with both hands to pull his arm away from his neck and seemed to struggle doing it. I shook my head trying to understand how it was my husband in the headlock and not Allen.

With a twist and a nudge, Allen pushed Glen and the both went to the floor, Glen on his side and Allen draped over him. Allen pulled his arm free, pushed Glen’s shoulder down putting him flat on his back, and then pressed down chest to chest. Glen kicked with his legs as Allen used both hands to seize his wrist and forearm forcing it to the floor. Glen’s other arm was trapped underneath Allen, by his side and as it tried to lift his pinned arm, I could see by the expression on his face, that he couldn’t, not with both of Allen’s hands holding it down.

“Glen, just push him off you,” I said with growing frustration.

“I’m trying,” he replied, grunting and panting.

“I see your husband is a wimp,” Rose said. “My Allen is the one in charge.”

“Shut up, Rose,” I said. I felt her fingernails dig into my arm and turn me toward her. It was followed by a sharp slap to the face. I heard myself gasp in shock, putting my hand to my face and looking into her eyes. What I saw scared me. I had no doubt that even at her age, I would be the one to wind up with the worst of it.

I turned my attention back to Allen and Glen. Allen and pushed himself up and using his weight to hold Glen’s arm down, but as he did, he swung his leg over Glen’s thighs and sad heavily on my husband’s tummy. Glens body twitched as the wind was driven from his stomach. Allen quickly followed with a slap to the face and then grabbed a handful of hair, banging his head onto the floor several times. Blindly, Glen reached up to grab Allen’s throat, but he seized my husband by the wrist and started to struggle with his arm.

Glen bucked with his hips and wavered with his arms, doing everything to unseat Allen from on top of him. As they struggled, I noticed Allen had small, but tight, tiny biceps while the underside of Glen’s arms were smooth with little hint of any muscle. I’d never realized or noticed that before. Glen grunted and whimpered as Allen very slowly forced both arms down, pinning his wrists close to his shoulders.

The fight seemed to go out of Glen as I saw the tension release from his shoulders, as if he knew he couldn’t handle Allen. He moved up tighter onto Glen’s chest, not letting his grip go on his wrists. It became very clear that Allen must have been enjoying his domination over my husband; the front of his briefs clearly showed the outline of an erection. I looked at Rose. Her arms were folded across her chest, gazing down at her son. A smug smile crossed her lips as if approving of her son.

“Still want to contact the condo board?” Allen asked Glen. My husband was looking up at him, a look of fear and disbelief registered. He silently shook his head. With a couple more slaps to his face, Allen stood up and pointed to the door. “Get out now before I continue your lesson.”

Glen wasted no time opening and walking briskly on the stone path back to our unit. I took one last look at Allen and followed. I somehow got the impression by the look on his face that he and I weren’t going to be done quite so easily.