My husband will tell you that he has no doubt about his neighbors because I will befriend them in an easy hour. I do chat it up naturally with strangers, I get to know them quite quickly just by being outside. If I am racking the pine needles or weeding the flower bed I say "HELLO!" Happily to my passing by neighbors. While my husband may keep his head down and keep walking to our condo passing neighbors with just a wave or nod, I trail behind smiling big and asking "How is your mom doing? She still in the hospital?" My husband shots me a confused frown and I chuckle as my neighbor gets me updated on their lives. I LOVE my ability to visit and remember the details of other people's lives....In all honesty I have been this way my whole life! In my "church Days" I could practice these skills every Sunday remember what everyone said last week about their lives. I honestly love people, I give them the benefit of the doubt to be good at first acquaintance. Now that doesn't mean I wouldn't get burned, used or hurt....it just means that I am not afraid to at least try! If the risk is they spit in my face then I will take it bravely because the reward is FAR greater when you make a new friend! These years of condo living has become natural for me to know everyone and everything that is going on. I like being informed and so when my husband asks "WHO was that?!?" as a big scary guy walks by our sliding glass door, I glance up saying "Oh that is Linda's nephew he is visiting this week." Then there is nothing to worry about. The other day I stood outside by the lilac bushes with my dogs as our neighbors gathered to visit me and I LOVED it! There was about 6 of us when it was all said and done, the new neighbors upstairs from us came out to talk with the group. I said that over the last 7 years this condo building has been fairly peaceful with good calm people living here. That VERY SAME night those neighbors were arrested at 2am in front of our open bedroom window for domestic violence...I got up after being scared awake by their screaming and my growling warning pups. I checked another day off my "count down chart" for when we can move away next month!
Sometimes having neighbors so close by IS NOT a GOOD thing after all.....
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