Chapter 18 - Conversation at the Doorstep - 3’4”

I sat back and flipped through channels yet again.  Mostly terrible daytime news shows and afternoon talk shows were playing.  I ended up settling on watching reruns of old Saturday Night Live episodes on VH1.

I had become absorbed in the tv show and lost track of time.  Suddenly I heard my phone buzz on the end table.  From where I was sitting I had to scoot across the couch cushion and reach with my whole arm to reach my cell phone.

*buzz* *buzz* *buzz*  After the fourth buzz I wrapped my fingers around my phone with effort and checked the caller ID.  It was from Angela, I hastily answered.

“Hello,” I greeted.

“Hey Steve, it’s Angela,” she responded, “I’m standing outside your apartment door.  I knocked three separate times.”

“Sorry I didn’t hear you,” I apologized, “I’m getting up to let you in now.”

I dropped the call and, with sufficient effort, placed my feet on the floor and stood up.  I approached the door.  Standing next to the door I realized something terrifying; the door knob was now a solid two inches higher than the top of my head.  

I reached my short arms upwards and latched onto the knob.  Turning the knob took effort.  I couldn’t help but feel helpless.  If I continued to test the HydroDyoxiBenzine, soon I would not be able to open my own front door.

I opened the door and was greeted by the crotch of my 5’6” neighbor’s work skirt.  I looked down, she was still in her 4” heels from the office.

“I went to Kohl’s and picked you up some clothes,” Angela greeted as she handed me a gray plastic shopping bag with the word Kohl’s plastered across the front.

I was surprised by the weight of the clothes in the bag.  My arms wobbled, I set the bag on the floor next to me.

“Thank you so much Angela,” I said enthusiastically, “I can’t stress enough how much your help means to me!”

“Like I said I’m always happy to help,” Angela returned cheerfully.

She then bent down and lifted me up by my underarms.  I felt myself being hoisted easily from the ground.  Angela rested me her hip and began to rock me up and down.

“You’re like a second child to me,” she said.

“Thanks Angela,” I said appreciatively, “but if you’re going to lift me can you at least do it inside behind closed doors?”

I was truly embarrassed, any one of our neighbors could come through at any moment and see Angela manhandling me like a toddler.

“Oh sorry,” Angela apologized.

She quickly lifted me to her face and planted a fat kiss on my right cheek.  I began to feel my weight shift toward the floor yet again as Angela gently released me from her motherly embrace.

“I also wanted to ask something before I go show Gina out,” Angela said, “why is your door locked?”

“I am trying to protect myself,” I responded bluntly.

“I wouldn’t advise that,” Angela started, “because if you continue to shrink you could get trapped in your own apartment.”

“I guess that’s true,” I sadly accepted her advice, “I was planning on staying in my own apartment tonight though.”

“You can stay just keep the door unlocked just in case something happens,” Angela returned with great concern for my well-being.

“I will,” I said eyes pointed to the floor.

I felt like a small child being scolded by his mother.  I naturally felt that I had to submit to Angela’s authority.

“How was Celeste today,” Angela asked out of the blue.

“She was good except for one incident,” I said honestly.

“Oh god, she didn’t hurt you did she,” She returned with a face of shock.
“No,” I paused, “none of that.  She felt that since she is bigger than me now she could act as a babysitter or older sister.  Cel woke me up at 10:30 asking me to play dolls, and I told her I wouldn’t play with her until she made me some breakfast.  While she did that I went and sat on the couch to watch some tv.  She came over with a bowl of cereal and took the remote to watch My Little Pony again.  I asked her for something else and she said ‘if I could reach the remote I could change it’ and she stood up and held it out of my reach.  But, she’s an 8 year-old she doesn’t know better, she saw it as playing.”

“I’ll make sure to talk to her about it,” Angela told me.

“Also can you bring over one of my pills around 9ish,” I asked.

“I sure can,” Angela responded, “but I want you to know full well that I don’t approve of you continuing this drug test.”

“I need the money,” I once again tried to justify my decision.

“Okay,” she responded reluctantly, “I have to go I will see you later tonight.”

“See you,” I said as she turned around and walked across the hall to her door.