The cheap couch was positioned in front of a set of windows. The room was filled with cigarette smoke which diffused the pale morning light that came through the windows.

She shifts her body, stretching it, not yet fully awake. Appologetic, she looked at Jim.

Jim moved his hands over her body and looked out the window where, from the particular angle he was in, he could see nothing but an incredibly bright white sky. It gave him the most wonderful headache.

She had written Jim a letter.

Through a crevice of drawn shades the sun cast a sharp beam in Jim's eye causing the words to dissolve into green and purple spots.

He wished it away forever.

I live on the seventh floor. I have only a vague notion of what goes on on the other floors. A woman came over once and she asked about a vacant apartment on the 26th floor. I had no idea this place was so huge. When I looked up, the sight of the seemingly endless staircase frightened me and caused me to miss a great deal of sleep the following weeks. The woman came back, still interested in the unreachable apartment on the unreachable floor. Or so at least I told her because I hadn't noticed any button in the elevator that confirmed the existence of a 26th floor. She asked me if I would join her to the 25th, perhaps there is a stair-case leading up to the mysterious apartment. I asked her if she was afraid to go alone. Not frightened she told me, but perhaps a bit apprehensive. She was braver than I but I felt inclined to put her at ease and furthermore did not want to admit that the thought of what could be up there was responsible for my inces-sant yawing and teary eyes.

Once again I looked up. Loud rock and roll music was playing probably somewhere between the 15th and 20th floor. I agreed to take her up there but not before I had some coffee and asked if she would like some.

After the second cup of coffee she had told me various details about her life retaining of course to why she was looking for an apartment. She talked about failed relationships and feelings of anxiety and confusion. I was taken aback and wondered if she expected me to be equally revealing. I told her that perhaps the difficulty and fear involved with getting this apartment is probably not a good sign and hardly beneficial for someone in her position.

She replied:

"Yes but it's cheap".

So we went up together. We looked. She lives here now and sometimes we have coffee together.