Area woman Tricia McMillian recently made a leap forward in socializing with a man who lives in her building. The woman, who has lived in the high rise condominium building for 8 years, first noticed the man a week after moving into the building. The eight years that followed were filled with occasional cursory semi-door holds while entering and exiting the building at the same time and polite semi-smiles at the mail boxes. The neighbors' encounters were sometimes punctuated with perfunctory nods in the elevator. The unmarried area woman noted with some surprise that in eight years there were no chance encounters with this particular man neighbor in the laundry room or at the recycling bins. "I dunno," she mused, "maybe he doesn't do laundry or recycle. Or maybe our paths just never cross in those places."

The woman admits that she never made any attempts for deeper socializing. She noted that he never made eye contact and didn't seem interested in small talk. "I get it, I put up my 'not open for business' signals a lot, too." The woman's neighbor never introduced himself, and she never felt compelled to initiate introductions. "The only real reason I noticed him more than my other neighbors is because I think we're about the same age and single. Which is a little unusual in our building," the area woman explained, "most of the people who live in our building who are our age are married, or often coming and going with a partner. The other singles are much older or a bit younger. Not a lot of uncoupled people in our age range." The area woman admits she has no idea what his relationship status is but notes that every time she sees him he's alone.

The encounters between the neighbors took sudden unexpected turn last Friday evening. Ms. McMillian, returning home around 7 PM after a long day at work, noticed her neighbor approaching the entry from the opposite direction. She held the door and handed it off to him as she entered the lobby and made her way to the mailboxes. He followed and also checked the mailbox. The area woman, knowing how long the wait can be for an elevator that time on a Friday night, walked ahead to push the call button. Her neighbor soon followed behind her. They stood waiting, alternating glancing at the floor indicator lights and thumbing through their mail. Ms. McMillian notes that no words were exchanged between the neighbors. The area woman, trying to think of something to occupy the time in the increasingly uncomfortable silence unbuttoned her coat.

When the elevator finally arrived, the area woman's neighbor motioned gallantly for Ms. McMillian to enter first. She nodded cordially, thanked him and proceeded into the elevator. As her neighbor boarded the elevator, Ms. McMillian asked him what floor he wanted. He told her what floor he wanted, and it was at this juncture that there was an abrupt change in the relationship between the area woman and her neighbor.

"He started talking to me," Ms. McMillian said, surprise still in her voice, "he engaged me in actual conversation, not just polite elevator small talk or condo building gossip." The area woman had never given any thought to her neighbor's personality. "I dunno, I just never really formed an opinion, you know, personality-wise. Turns out he's very nice and interesting. He has an interesting job and has traveled quite a bit." Ms. McMillian carried on the conversation even after the elevator stopped at her floor. "He kept talking, even after the elevator reached my floor, I moved to the door...and he continued talking, so I stood in the opening, blocking the door from closing and keeping the elevator positioned on my floor." Eventually, the "door blocked" bell rang. The area woman motioned to the door and excused herself. As she moved out of the elevator, her neighbor introduced himself. She, introduced herself. "Just like that, after all these years, now we know each others' names. He also asked me how long I've lived in the building. Turns out he moved in a year before me. He said, 'Wow, after all these years and we finally had a conversation!' I said, 'Well, see ya 'round!' and he said, 'Yes! I'm looking forward to seeing you again!'" Ms. McMillian excitedly exclaimed.  

Her mind racing over the evening's developments, and how she had never noticed that her neighbor was quite good looking, the area woman raced to her condo. "I had to go to the bathroom really bad. I'd been anxious to get home ever since I got off the bus, but when he engaged me in conversation on the elevator, and I really looked him in the eyes and noticed how pretty they are, and how he was a good conversationalist, I kind of forgot about my urgent need to urinate."

Upon entering her bathroom, the area woman noticed that her crossover wrap-style top had slipped, and one of her breasts was almost fully exposed. "Sure, it was sheathed in my bra, but it was laundry night and I was down the back-of-the-drawer undies, which means I was wearing a lacy demi-bra, that really doesn't cover much of anything."

The area woman was initially embarrassed about her wardrobe malfunction, but embarrassment soon gave way to disappointment and anger. "Eight years! Eight years we've been crossing paths and he never, not once, spoke to me or even gave me eye contact. But the second I inadvertently expose one demi-bra clad boob and he comes alive, all talky-talk infused with personality and charm. Yes, yes, of course I'm embarrassed, but that man is a cad. He didn't even have the decency to be embarrassed and avert his gaze. I thought it was weird that he was suddenly so attentive."

Ms. McMillian expressed concern about future encounters with her neighbor. She is hoping they will resume their previous barely-cordial, non-verbal greetings. As of press time the area woman was looking into the possibility of selling her condo and moving to another part of town.