Sandy Supposes....

Neighbours, naughty or nice

Prompt: Talk Tuesday! Are your neighbours genuinely good people, or bad people? And please cite an example.

         Well.... I have known both wonderful, and dreadful neighbours. During my years of home ownership in a few different towns, I was blessed with friendly, helpful, considerate fellow citizens. They never hesitated to lend a hand, or stop to chat. Many would keep a watchful eye on my kids. One fantastic man, Ken, sprang into action one memorable day to rush my two-year old son and I to the hospital. Chris was the victim of a cat mauling, and Ken didn't so much as cringe dealing with a bleeding, wailing toddler and his anxious mother. Ken also loved to sit on his porch, and listen to my kids relate their stories. He acted as a surrogate grandfather.

         Years ago, I was greeted in my new neighbourhood and new home town as I was out and about strolling with my dogs. A friendly woman introduced herself, and then launched into a long tale explaining why dogs sniff each others butts when they meet. Hey, it was an amusing introduction! Anyway, the gist is that many moons ago, dogs attended a giant barn dance in which each canine was asked to remove their tail, and hang it by the door on a hook. This was done to prevent fighting and aggression. During the fun, a fire broke out, and the dogs were forced to leave the barn. In their haste, they grabbed whatever tail they could find. Now, after all these years, dogs greet each other and sniff tails/butts because they are still searching for their own long lost tails. This particular woman made a funny neighbour.

         All of this changed drastically when hubby and I downsized to an apartment several years ago in a small rural village located in the near North. We anticipated some adjustments since we hadn't shared common walls in a long time. We realized our neighbours would be close, but we chose to live in a building with only three units. Sigh! Our immediate impressions were not favourable nor did they improve. One especially exasperating neighbour was a stomper and a slammer. Most days, she ranted and raved, unprovoked. She sure had a spectacular door-slamming skill, a propensity she demonstrated repeatedly. When not slamming. she was stomping, up and down the stairs, and around her apartment. Yes, she seemed to have anger issues 'cause she was a screecher/screamer, too.

         Gradually, I learned she was a drug addict . Okay... she dealt with demons... I still laugh remembering a morning I was soaking in my bathtub. My 'deranged' neighbour stomped to my door, and proceeded to curse and threaten me from the hallway.This 'attack' was random and baseless. Eventually, the landlord successfully evicted her for eight months' non-payment of rent.

         I wish I could say the calibre improved.... A subsequent neighbour was a binge drinker who alternated between weeping at my door, and attempting to batter it down. One minute she was an intelligent , charming visitor, and the next she would ignore me, communicating via letters slipped under my door.

         My current neighbour has rarely set foot in her unit. Most of her tenancy has been spent as a 'guest' in a provincial jail. Apparently, she attacked a local doctor, so she was convicted on an assault charge.

         The third apartment has been rented as an office/lunch room/meeting place for a local government employment centre, so it is only occupied during business hours. They have been the best of my neighbours so far.