creeped out

ok. weird things are happening. i live home now, right. it's an old apartment, window units, but new orleans has been surprisingly cool and bearable for May and with the windows all open my apartment feels wonderful. except for the kitchen -- all week it's been obscenely hot. washing a few dishes the other day, i was sweating. literally. plus this rushing gas sound that i couldn't figure out. until today: my oven has been set on 200 degrees. i almost didn't check because i know i haven't used the stove since i moved in in January (sad, but true). but i did because i kept noticing the sound. that so freaked me out. i turned it off and the kitchen is fine now.

another weird thing happened about a month ago. i came home and a mini-blind box was laying in the middle of my living room. i didn't think too much about it. just that someone was in my apartment, obviously, and left it by mistake. the handyman? he didn't hang any blinds up. but, i just filed it away under weird and forgot.

now, i'm like, why would someone turn/leave my stove on and why was a mini-blind box left in my living room. it makes no sense. i've always felt so safe (the few times i slept home) and now i'm creeped out. i called my sister over. she said where was the box and i still had it in a pile of books i have to take down to my car so i showed her. what's in it she asked. nothing, it feels empty. then why is it taped? and i looked, it's an old beat up box, but the whole thing's been scotched taped, all the edges, even the tears are sealed shut. we opened it and it's empty. now that's just creepy. makes it seem intentional. now i'm really creeped, like somebody's trying to fuck with me. let me know they've been in.

i called the landlord. he volunteered that the handymen are always in there "servicing" the apartment and that i can change the locks if i want and i don't even have to give him a key. too quickly. i thought he might say, are you sure you didn't leave the stove on. nothing, just change the locks and don't give anyone a key. is that weird, or is it just me?

last thing. i was in bed talking on the phone earlier this week. when i hung up to go to sleep, i heard footsteps. in my apartment. i kept listening to be sure and i was so sure. they went away and i got up the courage to investigate. and two windows in my living room were open. it could have been a coincidence, i guess. but i've never left the windows open, i check before i go to bed. and i know i heard footsteps.

i'm not sure what to do. why can't anything just be normal for me? nothing ever is. such simple things are so complicated. and i love living alone so much. i still look around and am like, i have my own apartment, this is so cool, even thought i think i should be over it by now. it's the best thing ever. i hate that creepy things have to happen.