The Adventures Of A Queer Man part 2

But as Joe spoke, a worried expression appeared on his face.

"Joe..." he said slowly. "That's impossible."

"What do you mean impossible?"

"The apartment you're talking about doesn't belong to an old man."

Joe frowned.

"What?"

"A young couple lives there. They work in town during the day. Nobody else stays there."

The crowd nodded.

Several people confirmed it.

Joe felt frustration rising inside him.

"I know what I saw!"

The more he insisted, the more convinced the residents became that something was wrong with him.

Some pointed to his appearance.

Others whispered among themselves.

Before long, the argument split the crowd into two groups.

One side defended Joe.

The other mocked him relentlessly.

The noise became so loud that people from neighboring apartments began arriving to see what was happening.

The gathering grew larger and larger.

Then something unexpected happened.

An extremely old man slowly emerged from a neighboring compound.

He leaned heavily on a walking stick.

Though frail, his presence commanded immediate respect.

The crowd fell silent.

Everyone knew him.

He was the elderly father of the landlord who owned the apartments next door.

According to local legend, he had lived in the area longer than anyone else.

One of his grandchildren had told him about the commotion, and curiosity had brought him to the scene.

He raised a hand....