I'm not the most social of people. i don't get invitations to birthday parties. i don't answer my phone. i haven't been to a movie in five years. i do most of my shopping online. i even have a sign outside of my house that specifically states "no solicitors."
one day in late december, i met a man named dewy scruggs. dewy came to me on a particularly unusual december morning. the sun was out. it was mild. there wasn't a cloud in the sky, and then, there was a knock on the door. dewy was on the other side of the peephole. he said, "good day, sir. my name is dewy scruggs, and i'm with . ."
"no solicitors," i responded through the door.
"i can see that sir, but i have information that could change your life," dewy said.
"no solicitors," i firmly said again.
"sir, i feel just awful about bothering you, but i think you should know your life is in danger," dewy said.
i went back to the peephole and looked out.
dewy had somehow produced a chair and made himself comfortable on the front porch.
"did you know," he asked, "they don't consider pluto a planet anymore? i mean how can they do that? who are they anyway? what will become of the rest of the planets? " he scratched at his chin. "you know, mr. soltz . ."
he knew my name!
"with the global warming and everything, many of the biggest cities in this nation will be flooded under water. even this very city," he said. dewy took out a mobile phone and tapped away at the keys. "we're all going under at some point," dewy said.
that last statement sent a cold shiver up my back. slowly, i latched the chain lock to my door hoping the sound of sliding metal would be as quiet as a whisper.
"i heard that, mr. soltz," said dewy. "if you could just . ."
"what's going on out here? " cried mrs. montgomery, the lonely hermit from next door.
"hello, mrs. montgomery. i'm trying to talk to your neighbor, mr. soltz," said dewy.
he knew my neighbor's name!
"everything is fine, edna," i said through the wall we shared, which was as thin as tissue paper.
suddenly, i heard another voice.
"hey, mister," said the voice to dewy. it was that little kid from the third floor. i think his name was gary, or maybe it was jerry.
"that's old-man soltz's apartment. he doesn't buy things from anyone. i tried to sell him some candy last year, and he told me to get lost."
"that wasn't very nice, mr. soltz," said dewy.
outside, dewy reached into his pocket and gave gary (or jerry) some loose change.
"well, maybe i'll have better luck with old-man soltz," dewy said to the boy.

2. directions: select all of the correct answers. which of the following words best describe the narrator of the story?
anxious
lighthearted
withdrawn
trusting
sympathetic