My neighbors are my parents. On one side. I’m not sure we have any yet on the other since I can’t tell if they’ve actually moved in yet. On that side, one more house over, they have a similar situation we do, they rent out the little house next to us. So far, it seems to me that it serves as a place for friends of theirs to live while saving for a house. I don’t know how, since I also know they charge an exorbitant rent, in my opinion. The people who own it, two houses over, have lived there 40 years or so, just like my dad, but they’ve never been friendly. And in fact there’s been some animosity.
Let’s see… When I was about 16 they actually built the little house next to us. At the time, my grandmother, who was 89 or 90 at the time, was living there. My parents were on vacation (again), and while grandma thought she was keeping an eye on me, it really, per my parents’ instructions, was the other way around. So those people are doing construction, and managed to attempt to saw through a transformer, causing it to explode. Which caused the privacy ivy to catch fire. Which caused the carport on our house to catch fire. I was next door (my parents house – are you keeping up?) cooking lunch for my friends. The stove literally jumped up and back hitting the brick wall behind it. Scared the crap out of me. I went outside, trying to figure out what was going on, when a neighbor ran up to me and told me to call 911. I did, and then went off in search of my grandmother.
My grandmother, God love her, was the first call to 911. I was stupid and had no shoes on, but my thought was of her. So – I, in fact, HAVE run through burning coals to get to someone. Transformer pieces were all over the yard and were still red and white hot. She was sitting changing her slippers into tennis shoes. Great. Makes sense. Then she decides to put her slippers under her bed. Because, you know. That’s where they go. At which point I boddilly picked her up and carried her out of the house. Then I had to move the car for the fire department. I had my learner’s permit at the time, so I was terrified I’d be in trouble with my dad. Went to a friend’s house to call my parents (the transformer blew out the phone line), and I was fine until I talked to my mom, at which point I was sobbing.
Other adventures with that neighbor include limbs falling off a diseased tree into our yard not once but twice, causing thousands of dollars in damage to my dad’s vehicles. They always paid, but come on! Cut it down for God’s sake before a PERSON gets hurt instead.
On the other side of my parents, who will be my new neighbors once we move, I have NO idea who they are. None. never seen them.
I’m still not sure they exist.
So – I’m a happy camper to be moving. Let my dad deal with the neighbors, and the damn tree, and the diseased tree sap. I’m done.
Don’t forget to vote for me!
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