When I was eight, my family moved from a close knit neighborhood to a very isolated house. My mother said that she didn’t like the neighbors overhearing her fighting with my father. She definitely saw neighbors as intrusive and nosy. But as you can tell from my earlier posts, I had come to depend on the kindness of neighbors and appreciated their noticing me.
Living next door to Dale and Alice meant that they noticed my life on a daily basis. When I was a single mother, I really appreciated knowing someone was watching out for me. Then, when I was dating Charlie, Alice and I had an amusing interaction. Charlie drove that brown car from yesterday’s post, but he also had the use of a state car for the travel his work demanded. One day, before returning the car to the pool, he dropped by to say hello. The next day, a very worried Alice casually asked me who I was now seeing in addition to Charlie!
To her great relief, I told her it was Charlie, just in a state car. I realized that the neighbors were all rooting for me to marry Charlie. The yard was tidy and I was happy. I was glad they all noticed!
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I like this, while I laugh because my friend and an interesting conversation about people being nosy, which make us take the “uninvolved approach.” I don’t have that neighborhood support as I once did.
I still have nosy neighbors. I like them. Of course my grandchildren live next door!
I like neighbors are a bit involved, tho not too involved – am lucky that I have great neighbors 🙂
We did have to build a fence in our present home because of very unpleasantly nosy neighbors!
did that fix it? have found double paned windows fabulous
Blessedly enough, it did. Our main problem was the neighbor criticizing my husband whenever he worked in the yard. After the fence, he couldn’t see in.
some people exist to show us how not to be – & to enjoy their absence all the more 🙂
I think that the spirit of community has been lost in the cities, Elizabeth. It is a great shame as while their are some negatives, like nosiness by neighbours, there is also a great spirit of support and caring that has been lost.
Sorry to hear that is true where you are.