Monday, January 10, 2005 6:38am

Good morning Mark.
Good morning James. How was everything over the week-end?
Ok, pretty routine. The side path out to the benches is really icy, like a skating rink, it’s probably dangerous. And the skeleton key isn’t working in the back courtyard doors anymore.
Yeah, we changed the lock last week with the installation of the new intercom box back there, did you notice it?
Yeah.
Anyway, you need to take a special courtyard key to get in through the back door now.
Sure. That’s a little annoying but ok.
There’s something else I wanted to ask you about too…
Ok.
Last week-end, did you notice those black gouges on the seventh floor outside the mechanical room?
Yes, the ones beside the door to the roof right? They’re gone now.
Do you know what could have caused them?
No. I thought they looked like handprints though. Maybe a racoon got inside?
I don’t think so, I’ve thought about it and they don’t look like racoon claws and they were right at the top of the wall. How would a racoon gouge into concrete like that anyway? It had me and the contractors we called in to fix it puzzled and I wanted to know what you thought.
I really didn’t give it too much thought, I kind of just noted it and kept rolling on by during the 3am meter checks. At that time of night, I just kind of absorb what I see without much thought. I don’t think I could get through that patrol otherwise.
I see… I don’t know if I should broach this subject or not but… Do you know that you are the only guard we’ve been able to keep on the nightshift for more than 4 months?
Yes. I’m aware of that.
When I took over the site supervisor position from Matt last year do you know what he told me? He said, handle James with velvet gloves and go really light criticizing him in any way because we badly need to keep him on the nightshift. When I asked him why, he made a strange face and told me that things are a little different here at night and for some reason James just deals with it.
Matt used to rotate on the nightshift before he became supervisor and was put on straight days.
Yes, I know. Look, James. It’s no secret that you don’t do half of what you write in your report during your shift and I don’t care. The fact that you do the 3am meter checks and stay awake is enough for me even though the post orders from the condo manager say otherwise. What I really want to ask you but hesitate to every Monday morning is this: Is there really anything strange going on here at night?
What do you mean strange?
Well… I’m not sure. Like this incident here. It’s really bizarre. I never mentioned this, but when we had the elevator inspectors in a few months ago, they found some damage in the shafts that was similarly strange. Also, before David was fired, he had hinted that some odd things might be happening at night. Chris gave me the same kind of signals before he quit last year too. They were both stubborn when I tried to get them to elaborate.
Look Mark, I’ve got to go or else I’ll miss the next set of busses, I only have a few hours before class to catch a short rest. Sometimes when you’re really tired you just think you see things but I’m sure it was nothing.
James, I was on nights for two weeks. Maybe I’m just looking for confirmation here… I saw them.
I’m going Mark. See you tomorrow morning.