Frankie tells me
“Our building is like a church—
not just nobody can come in.
It’s my job to protect it.
I live here 50 years.
There was a young couple
like you,
but he was not one of us

she brought him from the street
they fight a lot.

She come downstairs
2:30 AM want to ‘use my microwave,’
and I let her in,
you know she’s in my building,
but I don’t want no part
of no domestic abuse
but my building’s my building.

I take care of people.

Nick downstairs
he stays to himself
and people talk.
But I pay him some money
to help me with the garbage.

Me?
I’m not a well man
but God don’t want to take me yet.
I got 70 years.
It was a good life.

One time I knew a man,
he had nowhere
so I tell him
‘come here,’
but then he wouldn’t leave
so I had to threaten him
with my gun.

I worked for Nixon once,
man those guys could party!
Good times we had
up til three in the morning
back up cleaning the next day.
That’s why God’s gonna take me
soon.

My wife, ay, I feel bad
she has to get up
the middle of the night
my medicine, ay,
God should take me
soon.

I have a bad knee
when it’s raining.”