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I left a note in my apartment hallway as a joke, and it accidentally became the reason I didn’t feel alone anymore

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When I moved into my new place I was in that phase where I kept telling people I was "fine" and technically I wasnt lying. Like I had wifi, I had unpacked maybe three boxes. I had one plate, one fork, and Im pretty sure the spoon was actually from a yogurt cup.

Most nights id eat cereal for dinner. Sometimes just peanut butter on a tortilla standing at the counter. Then id scroll tiktok until my eyes burned and fall asleep to those true crime videos where the guy has a weirdly soothing voice. Just so it wasn't so quiet.

Anyway the building has this elevator thats been "temporarily out of service" since like 1987. One night it broke again, shocker, and someone from management taped up a sign:

ELEVATOR OUT OF ORDER (AGAIN). SORRY.

I was having one of those evenings where you feel like you need to do something or youll go insane so I grabbed a sticky note and added underneath:

If you need help with groceries or whatever Im in 3B - Alex

Then immediately thought what did you just do, now youre the weirdo who offers to help strangers. You cant even help yourself.

But whatever, I figured no one would actually knock.

Next evening Im eating more cereal (dinner of champions) and theres a knock on my door.

Its this older guy, maybe late 60s, holding two grocery bags and a case of water bottles. He looks exhausted.

"You Alex?"

"Uh yeah?"

"Dieter. Fourth floor." He shifts the water case. "Didnt want to bother you but these stairs are not my friend today."

So we haul his stuff up. He thanks me. Thats it.

But then the next day someone else knocks. Woman with a stroller and a toddler screaming "UP UP UP" on repeat.

Then a college guy with a desk chair still in the box.

Over the next week or so that sticky note somehow turned into a whole thing. People started adding their own notes to the elevator door.

Alex is a real one - 2D

Elevator guy coming Thursday maybe - Management

Someone took my DoorDash AGAIN. I know youre reading this - 4A

Free chair in the lobby if anyone wants it

And then one night I get home from work and theres a new note in really neat handwriting:

If you ever need anything, 1C - Marta

I dont know why but I just stood there staring at it.

Like a week later Im taking trash down at like 11pm, barely awake, and Dieters just sitting on the third floor landing. Not doing anything, just sitting.

"Stairs kicking your ass?" I ask.

"Nah just taking a break." He looks at me. "How you doing Alex? Actually doing."

"Fine."

He doesnt say anything, just waits.

And I dont know maybe it was because it was late or because he wasnt being weird about it but I told him the truth.

"Honestly its been kind of strange. First time living alone. I thought id like the quiet more."

He nods. "Yeah. Quiets loud isnt it."

Then after a second he adds "when my wife died I kept the TV on all the time. Even when I was in the other room. Just needed to hear people talking."

We just sat there for a minute. Then he got up and said goodnight.

After that things kept happening.

Marta left a bag of clementines by my door with a note, You look like you need vitamin C - M

Someone made a new elevator sign that said DAY 9 WITHOUT ELEVATOR: SOCIETY HAS COLLAPSED. SEND HELP.

Dieter started giving me updates every time I saw him. "Good news they fixed the railing on five. Were really moving up in the world Alex." His jokes were not always great but he committed to them.

I started recognizing people. The guy in 2D who was always getting food delivered. The mom with the toddler. A couple on the second floor who argued loudly but not in a scary way.

Nobody ever said were friends now or anything, it just sort of happened.

Last week I had a really long day at work and came home late. The hallway was empty, no one around. No notes on the elevator for the first time in a while.

And I got that feeling again. The one from when I first moved in, the its just you feeling.

Then I saw a post it on my door:

Elevators fixed but were still doing coffee Thursday 6:30 in the lobby. Youre coming - Marta

I dont even really like coffee and Im not great at small talk. And I kind of wanted to just go inside and eat cereal and watch youtube.

But Im probably going to go.

I dont know, I guess Im just realizing that everyone in this building was probably doing the same thing I was, pretending they were fine, eating random stuff for dinner, trying to figure out how to be a person.

And maybe that sticky note didnt fix anything but at least now when I hear someone in the hallway I dont feel like Im the only one here.

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