3Someone moved into the empty house at the end of Calle road. We're supposed to go over and give our welcome. I know the Curo's and the Bekan's are going too, and maybe someone else. There hasn't been a new neighbor in years, my mom says, so it's a pretty big deal I guess. Maybe they'll have a kid I can play with. I'm so tired of Andy!
We walked all the way in the hot sun, and no one ever came out of the house. The Curo's and the Bekan's waited with us. It's not easy to wait! There aren't any trees to stand under, and the ground is too hot to sit on in the summer. Mr. Bekan looked like a water fountain, he was sweating so much. Mr. Curo rang the bell a bunch of times but no one ever answered. If someone was in there, they must have had cotton in their ears. What a waste of time.
Dad said he heard noises coming from the house yesterday but he didn't really explain what they sounded like, just "ungodly." It doesn't look like we're going to try to meet the new neighbors again. Is he mad! He actually yelled at mom when she said we should check on them to see if they're okay. Dad doesn't like getting snubbed so now he won't have anything to do with the new people. But maybe mom will take me with her if she goes.
I'd better not let mom and dad know I heard them using those words. I had to hear, though! Mom went to check on the new neighbor. She and dad had a fight about it, but I don't know why. Mom doesn't seem to like the neighbor either now. She actually got him to answer the door. It's supposed to just be a man living there by himself.
The man was really rude, my mom said, and "ghastly." She swore she heard fighting but how is that possible if only the man is in there? Is he fighting by himself in there? That's just silly. Mom must not have seen the other person is all. Maybe they're nicer.
How could I have missed it? Andy said that the man was taken to the hospital in the town over this morning. He was carried on a stretcher and put in an ambulance and everything. Andy has to be lying. He's always making things up, but he swears he's telling the truth. He got to see the man for a minute before the ambulance left. I can't get him to tell me what the man looks like, though. He says he can't describe him. Baloney!
Andy wasn't lying. And mom wasn't wrong. That man came back from the hospital but I don't think it did him any good. Mom and dad are going to yell at me if they find out I went down Calle road.
I thought maybe mom had been wrong about how many people live there, and I wanted to see if I could meet the nice person. But there is no nice person. There's only that man.
At least I didn't ring the bell. The place still looks so empty, and the Sunday papers are still out on the front walk. I chickened out on ringing the bell. I wanted to try to see someone through the windows first. Even the inside looks empty. All I saw in the living room window was a ratty couch. Maybe there's more, but I didn't get to see before that man came out and scared the heck out of me.
"Ungodly" is right. He started yelling so fast and so much I couldn't even understand him, but I'm pretty sure he was yelling at me. He's so skinny, it doesn't look right. I thought he would grab me, and I didn't want that! I ran away. He didn't chase me. Now I've finally seen him.
I can't believe his face still. He's got brown skin everywhere except his face. It looks like white paint, a lot of white paint, like a mime or a clown. I don't think that was his skin. Why would he wear makeup, though? Is there something wrong under the paint?
What if I had rung that bell? Would he have pulled me into the house? I don't think I'm going to find that out. Maybe Andy can do it instead.
He called my parents. Dad swatted me hard for going on the man's porch and peeping in his window, but I think he was more angry that the man called than he was angry at me. I still got grounded. What am I supposed to do all day in my room? I hate it!
Andy and I both think that the man is a bad mime. He doesn't talk to anyone during the day, but there's supposed to still be lots of yelling at night. He swears too, when he hits his thumb with the hammer. Andy and me've been watching him put up a tool shed next to his house. We make sure to stay across the street. Even though I think he knows we're watching, he hasn't chased us or anything. It's about the only thing to do around here, is watch him. I've never heard a mime swear before.
Mrs. Bekan came over today for mom's tea and talk. She said her maid skipped out on her two days now and she's going to fire her if she doesn't come soon. I don't see why she can't clean her house herself. We don't have a maid and we do fine.
I saw him! I saw him fighting. That man's house must be haunted. He's yelling and screaming at ghosts. Nothing else makes sense. Why else would a grown man act like that? You don't throw chairs around for exercise. He really had a tantrum tonight. He didn't even realize I could see him, he was so busy with the ghosts. I think maybe he isn't mean. Maybe he's just afraid of the ghosts. Wouldn't that put you in a bad mood?
What a jerk! I told Andy about the ghosts and he laughed at me! I'd like to see the look on his face if he saw one himself. Maybe I can make that happen!
Everyone's talking about Mr. and Mrs. Beautrin. They had a huge fight and Mrs. Beautrin went off. They fight about a lot of things and most of the time they make up within minutes. Dad says Mrs. Beautrin can't settle into her new role. I don't know what that has to do with the fighting but I guess it makes perfect sense to him. Mrs. Beautrin really went off this time, though, and she hasn't gone back to her house since running out. People are saying she's gone to her mother's, that's what she would do if the fight was that bad. I wonder when she's coming back.