Lucy lives in my building, just two flights up! In the same rent-stablized apartment she was born and raised in no less, and pays about $350 a month for. She lives on her deceased parents pension or something. We've had her over for drinks a few times and she LOVES Napoleon, as do all our neighbors. Her apartment is total "Miss Havisham" realness, every piece of furniture is white and cobwebbed, replete with cockroach-infested kitchen and 4 very stinky cats. Her make-up is always heavy as her eyesight is not good and she believes it's un-ladylike to wear glasses. She is as kind as can be ... occasionally Doug has to go upstairs and help her flip her mattress as her arthritis is bad, which she says is the reason she can't clean her apartment anymore.
A couple of doors down on our block is Nora, an aging trannie and former call girl. Nora claims to have been photographed by Warhol for Interview magazine and usually will wax nostalgic about Studio 54 on our stoop. I believe her ... she's still beautiful though probably in her early 50s. Somehow Nora broke her back once and sometimes must get really zonkered on pain meds just to get through the day. She has a dog, Boula, one of Napoleon's playmates.
Next door to Nora is FLLOYD. Enough said!