I like this new job and there are parts of that I especially like. I always liked going through the old buildings. I was looking for specific things, but it was interesting; it’s no less interesting now that I’m looking for different specific things.

But I find some oddball stuff, in my lookings. The mummified fox in a third-floor mechanical room was interesting. He was a little too held together to take the skull, but I may someday in the future.

On Monday, I just missed bumbling into trouble. I pulled up to the next building on my list to find the electricians and a deputy there. Seems they had just rousted a homeless guy, and he’d left his belongings under the stairwell. Which, of course, I’d have gone right up, all by myself, and wouldn’t I have just been scared shitless if a person popped up out of that mess? Those buildings are spooky enough without actual people haunting them. The hair was up on the back of my neck for that whole building, even though the electricians stayed after the deputy left.

And today, I pulled up to what’s little more than a concrete structure left. There was a car there, and I looked for people before I went on to the next door building, but didn’t think much of it when I didn’t find any. That’s a fairly common spot for dog walkers and joggers to park, although it was oddly pulled behind the building and out of sight to most people.

When I finished the one I was doing and went on to the skeletonized one, I heard voices. I froze, well outside of it, and waited. Soon enough two people came out, talking to each other, a man and a woman. My first thought, on seeing the woman, was, “we have hookers here?” She was dressed extra-skanky, with some backless top and high boots. But everyone was clothed, and man, would that be an uncomfortable and weird place to get it on.

The man reached down into a bag that I hadn’t noticed before. If I’d been a little more alert, that might have frightened me, but it turned out to be a camera that he pulled out. A monster camera, quite a bit more expensive than mine. He said they were shooting for her portfolio, and she didn’t look like she was there against her will. I thought about it, and I’m sure they could see the wheels in my head turning over whether they belonged there or not. Eventually I decided that they did not, but since I also decided that they weren’t hurting anything, I didn’t stop them. As I circled the building, I saw more photography equipment; I guess he was going for some sort of ‘edgy’ or ‘urban decay’ look, and I suppose I can’t blame him for that. I’ve photographed that building myself, after all. It has neat lines. But then, I belong there.

I wish that I could send the dog in ahead of me like I used to. He’s good for that, an early warning system if nothing else, but I don’t think Angus would let creepy homeless sqatters get me. Ringo might; he’s a big weenie. But it’s too hot for them to sit in the back of the truck while I’m in my office, and I haven’t really felt out the permissiveness of this new place regarding dogs on site.

So I suppose I’ll just keep my head up, and my big Maglite, and completely skip the two buildings that give me the raving horrors. Probably the worst that I’ll find will be dead cats and a swarm of bees, or maybe a skunk, but I can get along all right with any of those.

No horror movies for me until I’m done though. As if I ever watch those anyway!