kareina

Yesterday morning, when I went to leave the house I found the following note taped to the outside of my door:

"Excuse me... Do you mind *NOT* to open all the windows down the stairs...?! It's winter... and it's *VERY COLD*... thanks..."

Since I was in a hurry I left my reply till I got home in the evening, when I added a piece of paper containing the following:

"It would make me very happy if it were possible to leave the windows closed. However smoke causes me such pain that it is necessary to open the windows to let out the bad air. Note: I am not the only person who is opening the windows, I often find them already open when the hall is smoky."

This morning my note was gone, but the original one still remained (so I brought it along to share with all of you). It will be interesting to see if there is any reply. I'm told that it is actually illegal in this country to smoke indoors at all, but that doesn't seem to stop some of the people who live in this apartment building. I considered letting the writer know that I disagree with the use of the word "very" to modify the word "cold"--while there were snowflakes (yay!!!) falling from the sky last night (it was so nice to stroll in it and feel the flakes hit my upturned face as I walked), it isn't cold enough for the snow to stick--they all melted as soon as they touched the ground. A lucky few snowflakes held on for a tiny bit when they landed upon the tops of cold cars, but there was no evidence this morning that any of yesterday's precipitation was ever frozen. However, it occurred to me that the writer doesn't really care whether or not I think it is cold, they are only concerned with themselves, so I didn't bother to include that information. Though why it would matter is beyond me--surely if they are leaving the apartment and heading outside they are wearing the same sort of heavy coat, hat, scarf, gloves, etc. that all of the other locals seem to feel are necessary, in which case it is good that the hallway isn't hot...