Brian Borgford's Lenore Street Rooming House

Lenore Street Rooming House is chapter two of Brian Borgford's novel Gil.

Gil saw the flowered drapes to the living room flutter as he walked up to the Lenore Street rooming house.  He heard the patter of mouse-like feet and detected the wooden floor squeaking while placing his rumpled beige trench coat and grey fedora on the brass hooks by the front door.  He chose not to glance towards the sofa where obviously someone was trying hard not to be seen.  He looked straight ahead as he bounced up the stairs in perfect rhythm to an unheard tune echoing in his head.   Upon reaching the summit of the flight of stairs, he opened his door, leaving it wide open as usual.  He had a feeling there would be a visitor soon.  He doffed his tie, throwing it on the bed and sat at his desk to roll a cigarette. 

The creaking and groaning of the water heating system did not hide the movement Gil sensed at the base of the stairs.  Wooden floors and stairs were unforgiving for those trying to move undetected.  Then he heard voices, first the voice of a little girl, “Whatcha doin’?” followed by what sounded like a startled jump.

“Shhh.  None of your business; go away,” came a loud whispered response.

Next, Gil could hear a whimper bordering on an outright cry, then some hushed whispers followed by momentary silence. Once again, the wooden stairs betrayed cat-like movement, obviously ascending the stairs one slow step at a time.  Awaiting the inevitable arrival of the source of the mystery sounds, Gil continued to form his hand-rolled creation.  Before he could set it down to open one of his long-necked refreshments, he saw his stalker.

Gil emitted an involuntary cough as he glanced at the floor just outside the open door.  Big blue eyes framed by a long skinny pale face looked in horror at being discovered.  A head with long black hair lay sideways on the floor, frozen in fear, like a cow about to be plowed out of the way by an approaching train.  Gil’s voice shattered the trance of the bodiless head lying on the hallway floor.

“Well, helllooo,”  Gil said to the head on the floor at the edge of the doorway.  A long slender neck pulled at the head, which disappeared, frightened away by the unexpected discovery.

“Would you like to come in and visit?”  Gil called out in a gentle voice and waited for a response.  He never moved from his chair.

“My name is Gil.  I live here.  Are you the new landlady?”  Gil teased, thinking this might embolden the frightened little girl.  As she poked her head into view, a crinkled smile formed on her face – almost the prelude to a laugh at that comment.

“No, that’s my mom.  I’m just her daughter.  My name is Kay.” The little girl got brave enough to ease into the doorway, her eyes wide, taking in the infinite treasures before her. Gil’s possessions looked like nothing she had ever seen in her short life.

“Do you want to come and visit?  I like visitors,” Gil continued. “As a matter of fact, I have a visitor’s chair right here beside my desk.”

“Is all this stuff yours?”  The skinny girl looked around the room with wide eyes.  “I’ve never seen so much stuff before.  The nuns never let us have stuff in our rooms. Just crucifixes and things like that.”

“Nuns?  What nuns?”  Gil quizzed.

“Sibby and me used to live in the convent, when mom was sick.  But mom’s better now.  Is that a real skull?” Kay spied a life sized skull.

“No, that’s just an ornament, the top comes off and you can put stuff in.  See?”  Gil lifted the life sized ceramic skull and made its jaw move.  The he lifted the top off the skull to reveal some hard candy inside.  “One of these is for you – but only if your mom says OK.”

“Wow, where did you get that?”

“My sister made it.  She is kind of an artist – painting, pottery, leather,” Gil replied to the wide-eyed, gap-toothed little girl.

“What’s that?”  Kay pointed to a wad of chewed gum wrapped in a piece of paper with the number 1921 written on it.

“I’ll tell you about it someday.” Gil made a semi-promise as he covered his mouth with his hand and coughed into it.

Kay continued to cast her eyes around the room full of treasures.

“Kay, where are you?”  Footsteps thundered up the stairs.  “I need your help in the kitchen.  Oh, I’m sorry. Kay come out of there and let the gentleman alone.”  The voice emanated from a slim middle aged woman wearing a flowered housedress and a soiled white apron.  She looked embarrassed standing at the door to Gil’s room.

“It’s no problem. I invited her in.  You should go and help your mother,” Gil looked at Kay, not wanting to create any family issues.  “You can come back anytime you want.  I always leave my door open.”

“I am so sorry; I don’t want my children to bother the boarders.  I told them before we got here.”

“I don’t mind, really.  My name is Gil.  You must be the new landlady,” Gil stood and extended his hand.  Kay’s eyes darted to the perfect hand, examining every detail.

“Oh, yes.  How rude of me.  My name is Mary, and this is my older daughter, Kay.  She’s ten. This is her little sister, Sylvia.  She’s the baby of the family,” Mary rubbed her right palm down her half-apron, as if to remove some unseen dirt and clasped Gil’s hand in greeting.

“I’m not a baby, I’m eight years old.  I’ll be nine this year.”  Sylvia popped out from behind Mary’s flowered house dress, where she had been hiding.

“Why yes, you are no baby.  You are a pretty young lady,” Gil looked at the slender blond girl.  A self-indulgent grin spread across Sylvia’s face.

“It’s very good to meet you,” Mary continued.  “We just moved in and I’m trying to get a meal ready.  I haven’t had a chance to meet all of the boarders yet.  You’re the first.  Mr. Beatham told me there was you and two other families.”

“The Meddleycot’s, Art, Joan and their little boy, are in the next room.  Dave and Susan Hanford live at the end of the hall with their two children.  They actually have two rooms.  I can take you to meet them if you like.”

“I really should get supper ready first.  I don’t think we can fit everyone around the table at once, so maybe you could check with them and see when everyone would like to eat.  Come girls, give me some help.” 

“OK, I’ll see you at supper.  Good to meet you all.” Gil watched as the three females descended the stairs.

“See you soon,” Kay called over her shoulder as if she couldn’t wait to return to all the treasures Gil’s room contained.

Gil sat down at his desk and cradled his head on his hand as he pondered what he had just experienced.  He looked at the smoldering, untouched cigarette in the ash tray, rolled another and lit it from the embers of the first, before extinguishing it in the mass of butts.  As he drew in a lungful of soothing smoke, he noticed a warm feeling pouring over him. His mouth formed a contented grin, as he took another draw on his rollie.  More visitors in this month than in the past year.  Things were looking up.