The Neighbor Who Destroyed Himself

Synopsis

My neighbor was going overseas for two years. Before he left, he gave me his keys. He asked to keep an eye on his place. For two years, I kept his keys, regularly airing out the place, watering the plants, and collecting his mail, never missing a single thing. Last winter, I even paid out of my own pocket to install a security camera and a smart lock for his place. Last month, he came back. I handed him the keys, and the very next day, I got a court summons. I was charged with breaking and entering and unlawful trespass. The judge asked if I had anything to say. I shook my head, took out two keys and the handwritten note he had left me two years ago, and gently placed them on the table. As soon as I walked out of the courthouse, the first thing I did was call the building management. "Take down all the security equipment at the door of 305. Yes, every single piece. Do it right now," I said. That night, my phone buzzed so hard it fell off my nightstand. The screen was flooded with calls from the same number. I glanced at it and saw 99 missed calls. I turned it off and went back to sleep.