Tabula Rasa

I noticed the source of the light, it was coming up through the gaps in the floorboards. I walked over and lay flat on the floor, pressing my eye to the gap. A man looked back. ‘Hello.’ He said brightly. Lying flat on his back with his arms by his side he was wedged between the joists of the floorboards, only inches away from the gap on the other side. ‘Sorry, am I disturbing you? I’ll turn it off.’ He flicked the switch on the flashlight he was holding. ‘No no, please go ahead.’ ‘Oh good.’ He flicked it back on. ‘I don’t much like the dark.’ ‘How did you get down there?’ ‘Down here?’ He replied, gesturing around the space with his eyes. ‘Oh I sort of slipped I guess.’ ‘Slipped?’ ‘Yes slipped, right through the gap, woosh! Got wedged between these two joists.’ He replied cheerily, shifting his weight side to side to demonstrate he predicament. ‘Oh.’ I faltered. ‘How long have you been down there?’ ‘Down here?’ He replied. ‘Not sure really, what day is it now?’ ‘Tuesday.’ ‘Oh Tuesday you say? Must be about twelve years now I guess.’ He shrugged. ‘Ah.’ I ventured. He smiled warmly. ‘Well, mustn’t hold you.’ ‘No. No, I guess not.’ I straightened up and carried on out the door, a faint whistling rising from the floorboard behind.