Joe has the flat at the end of the hall

Joe has the flat at the end of the hall

In the corner opposite the potted palm

Which belongs to number six

He is not a number

But a free man

Although there are times

When he does feel a prisoner

He would never admit it to a stranger

The old lady across the hall

Thinks he is fit

She said so

It took him a while to recognise flirting

It was strange to him

As he thought she

Looked like his mother

But not as regal

There was little between them

But the gulf was wide

He rarely got involved

Perhaps it was what she said

When she heard his accent

‘Typically English

Keeping himself to himself’

He didn’t much care for generalisations

But valued his privacy

Feared allowing people in,

Hurt was a familiar feeling

He wanted to forget

She eats microwave meals for one

The cleaner delighted in saying,

She was a friendly figure,

Always ready to please

He tried not to get caught in the bedroom

She thought he had good taste

He took that as a red flag

Worried about leaving her

Alone in the flat

Just in case she became too curious

And opened too many drawers

It was easy to see

He was becoming more isolated

By the day

But still felt it was safer that way

It would be too easy to hurt

Somebody else’s feelings

He has done it before

He knows what it’s like

To regret doing nothing

But to make the mistake

Of doing something

For the wrong reasons

The cleaner watered the plants

He did them yesterday

Perhaps she thinks he forgot

Younger than him

She probably thinks as a man

He needs a woman

To do the looking after

Let her think that

It doesn’t hurt to keep

Her on side

After all, who wants

To clean their own bathroom