when i got home from work tonight the scurrier was sitting at the top of the interior stairway, counting pennies into little stacks. because this is a steep, narrow stairway with no passing room i said "hello" partly as a greeting and partly as an "excuse me, please". she looked up, grabbed up the pennies and, well, scurried up the second flight of stairs to her apartment.
when i told e. about this he said "well, at least she wasn't sitting there lighting matches". thanks for the comforting thought, honey.