First published in Interzone Summer 1984
An unnamed narrator (presumably Dick in this autobiographical story) lives in an apartment building that is being converted into condos. He is the only one who has decided to buy his apartment and stay, and everyone else has moved out except his crazy, antisocial neighbor known as the Lysol Lady.
The narrator wakes up on the last day the Lysol Lady can legally occupy her unit before getting evicted, spends the day wondering what will happen to her and then finds out the next day from the building’s sales rep that she moved out several weeks ago after the Housing Authority found her a new apartment.
Cast of characters
- the unnamed narrator
- Mrs. Archer aka The Lysol Lady – the narrator’s neighbor
- Al Newcum – sales rep for South Orange Investments