AVOIDANCE

‘You can get your bike in now the lift’s bigger,’ she said. ‘You don’t have to get it up on end.’
‘That’s true,’ I said.
She looked at me through thick lensed heavy framed glasses. When I said, ‘hello,’ to her when she walked in to get the lift was the first time I’d said anything to her even though I’ve seen and passed her in the flats through the years I’ve been living here.
‘It’s faster too,’ I said.
She looked at me and said, ‘is it?’
‘Yes,’ I said. ‘I’ve timed it, so I know.’
When she got out she said, ‘bye then.’
‘Bye,’ I said wondering why I’d told her I’d timed the lifts and thought it appropriate to share the results.
If someone had said to me what I’d said to her then the next time I was approaching the flats and saw them at or going through the entrance I’d probably avoid sharing the lift with them by walking up the hill and go in that way or I'd wait long enough for the lift to come down from the top floor, them to get in and be on the way up before going in the entrance myself.