It is a readily accepted fact that, unless you reside in some obscure part of the Rockies and are miles away from the mailbox at the end of your driveway, neighbors are just a necessary part of living. There are some that you can honestly live with and others you might prefer to live without, depending upon what day of the week they stop by.
Most everybody has that neighbor who is “overly concerned” about the safety of the area and, thusly, takes it upon themselves to become the face of the neighborhood watch. If there’s a strange car passing through, never mind the fact it could be someone who’s simply lost, the “chief of patrol” is eager to log a report to anyone who will listen. Pertinent details such as the vehicle’s description, the tag number, and other statistics right down to the driver’s eye color come as standard information.
Then, there is the one neighbor who seems to not know their way to the nearest market in that they are always out of everything. One day they pass by to borrow a cup of sugar, and the next there’s a request for flour. They stop for a visit on the third day to bum half a dozen eggs and two cups of milk.
Oddly enough, this same neighbor stops over at the end of the week and raves about the cake they had baked for their daughter’s birthday party. That’s when you realize, short of their asking you for the use of your oven, your ingredients were what served to facilitate the centerpiece for the child’s big day.
And every neighborhood has the one household it’s virtually impossible to pass due to disabled vehicles abandoned on either side of the street extending for a hundred feet in either direction from their house. Granted, it is always convenient to simply stop by and have the mechanic perform a quick repair on your car or truck when it’s in need of servicing. Any other time, however, he is simply known as “That aggravating shade tree mechanic who always has the street blocked with those cars he be trying to fix.”
The role of historian is usually filled by the eldest resident on the street if he is not too bitter to even communicate with other members of the community. This is the one house where people from the immediate area typically congregate to gather details of past events and come to understand the historical value of contributions made by fellow citizens to the city in general.
“Keep off the Grass” signs posted along the sidewalk for the entire distance of street frontage at one house typically signify the home of the area grouch. This is the one elderly person who has lived the entirety of his or her silver years griping about the growth and development that continues to happen throughout the city, especially in “My” neighborhood. They never seem to have anything nice to say about anybody or anything and only point to the fact nobody visits them.
And lastly, there is the only house on the entire block that has children who don’t ever come outside to play with other neighborhood kids. Their parents come across as somewhat strange and are very protective of their offspring. Regardless of the fact that the little people terrorize others in the immediate vicinity; tossing water balloons at passing cars, while placing nails and shards of glass on the street. The parents will always come to the children’s defense, “Our kids are good kids who would never do something like that.”
Regardless what role your neighbors might play, they are each significant to the composition of a good neighborhood as a whole. This is witnessed whenever there’s a rare gathering and everyone comes together, for better or worse, in observance of whatever occasion. Neighbors serve as your first line of defense against unusual or suspect activity and are much more responsive than the police. It is the opinion of this columnist that all neighbors, no matter the differences, are to be embraced and respected. I could be wrong but it’s just something to consider.
To pose a question or share your opinion, you can reach B. G. Howard at bw3bh@yahoo.com or P. O. Box 8103, Jacksonville, FL 32239.
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