Apartment Story

Apartment Story is a slice-of-life, character driven, platonic love story that spans over a year-long lease in Boston. Lewis and Manny are best friends and roommates in Boston, co-dependently attached at the hip. Their hobbies and outings are done side-by-side, from drinks at a local dive to movies to free wine at a gallery opening. Even when they are at work, they’re face-timing each other. Lewis is a spectacled, skeptical type-1 diabetic. Manny’s cheeriness usually balances him out. Their apartment is rickety, with leaks in the ceiling during rain, and warped floorboards; Boston is a city that is quickly being gentrified as they witness new construction invading their neighborhood. But they have made their apartment feel like home. Then one evening, Manny confesses to Lewis that he’s been dating someone, and that he had been keeping it a secret. Lewis is taken aback, but feigns happiness for his friend, knowing this is something that Manny has been looking for. Slowly, Manny’s presence begins to dissipate. Lewis finds himself alone in their apartment, where creaks and neighbors’ voices through walls seem to be amplified, emphasizing his loneliness. Manny begins to show up late to their regularly scheduled plans or even cancels them. Stress begins to spill over into Lewis’ job at the Boston Philharmonic, where he’s in charge of communications. On Halloween, instead of staying home alone, Lewis visits their friend Heather, a mother of two and married to Jim. For Lewis, Heather is a lending ear, but when Jim patronizes what’s happening, Lewis becomes defensive, declaring he has other friends he can go to and places he could be. Lewis opts to visit gay clubs and bars, places he used to frequent in his twenties, that he quickly learns are hostile and vapid now in his forties. The apartment continues to be a place of loneliness, especially at night when Lewis is alone. One evening at a club, Lewis catches the eye of Bruno, who comes over and chats with him. They have drinks, dance, and do drugs; Lewis confides in him. Maybe this is a potential new friend for him? When Lewis gets back home, the apartment is cold and empty. The noises begin to amplify, highlighting his isolation and scaring him. So he’s not alone on New Year’s, Lewis invites Bruno over, who ends up being Lewis’ New Year’s kiss. Lewis confides in Bruno again, discussing the passing of his mother, the estrangement of his father, and the distance from his sister. Bruno says that he feels a presence in the apartment and that maybe it’s his mother. Lewis says he doesn’t believe in ghosts. Later that evening, as Lewis is trying to be romantic, Bruno interrupts and says he’s “not looking for anything serious.” During his 40th birthday, Lewis concedes to meeting Manny and his new boyfriend Wyatt for dinner. The dinner is stilted and ends terribly when Lewis learns that Manny has been taking Wyatt to their usual haunts, doing the things they used to do together. Back at the apartment, Manny confesses that he’s getting a sublet during the summer while he takes a bike trip with Wyatt. Lewis’ worst nightmares are coming true: not only is his best friend leaving, but he will now have to live with a stranger. Manny leaves and Dean moves in. He couldn’t be anymore dissimilar to Lewis: straight, loquacious, and with an opposite interior design taste. Lewis avoids him at all costs, keeping to his bedroom, or staying late at work. During open enrollment at work for health insurance, Lewis confronts his job’s HR manager, because the new plan they are proposing won’t cover his diabetic supplies. The HR manager is useless and Lewis leaves flustered. Lewis can’t sleep. He begins to hear thuds and creaks in his bedroom. Then a disembodied voice causes him to flee his bedroom. He sleeps out in the living room and is woken up the next morning by Dean. They end up discussing the potential ghost in the apartment, which allows for a moment of bonding. They slowly begin hanging out, with Lewis taking him to places he used to visit with Manny. Dean also helps Lewis draft an email to advocate for himself for better insurance at his job. This friendship is fleeting, however, as Dean was only a sublet and is moving back to the west coast. But it is a genuine friendship for Lewis, something he hasn’t had since Manny. They vow to keep in touch, and Dean invites Lewis to visit once he gets settled in his own apartment. Lewis is alone again. He takes himself to the movies, to art galleries, and tries to keep himself busy. But one evening, in the apartment alone, the ghost activity escalates, with the sounds of bangs and the breaking of a coffee mug. Lewis, petrified, goes to sleep at Heather’s house. The next morning, expresses his stress at Manny’s return - what will their friendship be? Will he want to renew their lease? At work, Lewis is called into HR. The HR manager informs Lewis that they found another option for him for health insurance and that his diabetic supplies will be covered. Lewis thanks him and then advocates for a raise for himself. Lewis and Manny reunite. Over drinks at the apartment, Manny confesses to Lewis that he and Wyatt broke up halfway through the trip. Manny later apologizes for ditching Lewis, who accepts his apology. One evening, Lewis and Manny find their landlord inside their apartment, unannounced. He informs them he’s selling the building, and thus their year lease will not be renewed. Lewis decides that he will live alone and although Manny is surprised to hear it, he’s happy to see Lewis choose this for himself - that loneliness is not scary to him anymore. Manny plans to take another bike trip and live a little nomadically. He departs, leaving Lewis. Lewis moves into a new apartment - his first place on his own. As he looks at his new view he hears footsteps behind him; the ghost has followed him to his new place, but he turns around and greets it, because he is no longer scared of this presence.