Neighbors...
- Thread starter erdnase
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Growing up we had a family across the street. The mother was mentally ill, but we didn't know it at the time - we thought she was just a pain in the you-know-what. She would exhibit all sorts of weird and antagonizing behavior.
My parents unfortunately only made matters worse by calling her on her crazy behavior - getting into arguments. Then her son and husband would join in. Long story short: for 20 yrs we had to deal with major tensions. If we had instead ignored her behavior as best as we could and didn't stir her up, it would have been a much happier co-existence.
And wouldn't you know it, as time went on her behavior got worse and worse and eventually her family had to have her committed. After that, we actually began to get along with her husband and son - kinda surreal, almost like in The Wizard of Oz when Dorothy kills the wicked witch and suddenly the soldiers and monkeys were on her side.
That's too bad, but I agree with others that you want to try and get along with your neighbors. Bad neighbors will make your life a living hell. Having said that, I don't think you should live your life based on the personal preferences of your neighbor (plus some people are never happy anyway). I would just try and stay nice and cordial the next time you see him (even though he did act like a douche).
Guess I'm a lucky man. Since we're swapping neighbor stories, here's my experience that each neighborhood just has that one family that stands out.
When I had to replace my fence, I told my neighbor. Since he couldn't chip in, I paid for it myself. Afterwards he came and thanked me. We tend to chat each time we see each other. Other neighbor complained once when I had a leaking sprinkler. Understandably since it was creating a puddle on his side. Took me months to figure out it wasn't the sprinkler head or pipe, but a worn out regulator valve. He was very patient while I figured it out and gave me a thumbs up when it finally stopped leaking. When due to a stupid error of the electric company my electricity was shut off for a night, another neighbor let me run a couple of extension cords from his house to mine to keep the fridge and a fan going. And he never sent me a bill either. On the other hand, I say hi to all of them, talk to them, have gone over and helped with little handywork stuff. Just the other day I lent a new neighbor a chainsaw and serious pruning shears when he was trying to cut down some bushes with manual hedge clippers and a shovel. Told him to just bring 'em back when he was done. Which he did a couple of days later.
I think all those positives are like the Old Cajun said: What goes around, comes around.
On the flip side, the only neighbors we don't have much contact with are the ones across the street. They have been more than distant and cool, almost with an attitude of disdain towards us. Probably because our house used to be the gathering place of neighborhood teenagers. White, Black, Hispanic, Oriental... I'd have a dozen or more teenagers in my pool when I came home from work. I guess they couldn't deal with the noise and swarm of teenagers. But now they have "weekly bible studies" in their house where I come home to a row of parked cars in front of my house to the point where I can't even park my truck in front of my own house anymore. Big cross in the front yard, lots of cars with fish and other stickers. But won't talk to your neighbors across the street :crazy: When it happens, I just park around the corner. I've actually invited them to our church, but I guess we're too "rowdy" to fit in their notions of "upstanding Christians" and worship with on Sunday morning. And then people wonder why Christians have such a bad reputation out there....
@Erdnase: Invite him over ! Ask him to join the little gathering. Perhaps it'll help :puffpipe:
When I had to replace my fence, I told my neighbor. Since he couldn't chip in, I paid for it myself. Afterwards he came and thanked me. We tend to chat each time we see each other. Other neighbor complained once when I had a leaking sprinkler. Understandably since it was creating a puddle on his side. Took me months to figure out it wasn't the sprinkler head or pipe, but a worn out regulator valve. He was very patient while I figured it out and gave me a thumbs up when it finally stopped leaking. When due to a stupid error of the electric company my electricity was shut off for a night, another neighbor let me run a couple of extension cords from his house to mine to keep the fridge and a fan going. And he never sent me a bill either. On the other hand, I say hi to all of them, talk to them, have gone over and helped with little handywork stuff. Just the other day I lent a new neighbor a chainsaw and serious pruning shears when he was trying to cut down some bushes with manual hedge clippers and a shovel. Told him to just bring 'em back when he was done. Which he did a couple of days later.
I think all those positives are like the Old Cajun said: What goes around, comes around.
On the flip side, the only neighbors we don't have much contact with are the ones across the street. They have been more than distant and cool, almost with an attitude of disdain towards us. Probably because our house used to be the gathering place of neighborhood teenagers. White, Black, Hispanic, Oriental... I'd have a dozen or more teenagers in my pool when I came home from work. I guess they couldn't deal with the noise and swarm of teenagers. But now they have "weekly bible studies" in their house where I come home to a row of parked cars in front of my house to the point where I can't even park my truck in front of my own house anymore. Big cross in the front yard, lots of cars with fish and other stickers. But won't talk to your neighbors across the street :crazy: When it happens, I just park around the corner. I've actually invited them to our church, but I guess we're too "rowdy" to fit in their notions of "upstanding Christians" and worship with on Sunday morning. And then people wonder why Christians have such a bad reputation out there....
@Erdnase: Invite him over ! Ask him to join the little gathering. Perhaps it'll help :puffpipe:
I was sitting on the aft-deck last night watching the sunset and enjoying a bowl when a temporary neighbor passed behind about thirty feet downwind. The man shouted, "I love the smell of your pipe. I just love it!"
I suppose it depends more on the neighbor than the tobacco, but I was happy to think I was making the world smell nicer.
I suppose it depends more on the neighbor than the tobacco, but I was happy to think I was making the world smell nicer.
Whenever I hear a wise comment, or stupid opinion, I tell them "You can thank a Veteran that you can say that... just as long as you keep your hands to yourself".
(In the U.S.)
(In the U.S.)
Amen Brother you are entilited to your opinions as long as you keep your hands to yourself. The old cajun
Neighbours who are compatible, I get along with, never much more than a Hi, when I see them. Other neighbours, who are Butt Heads, I simply ignore. Life it too short to be caught up in their contrary attitudes. Some ppl walk about, their whole lives, feeling full of themselves. I have no patience for these types of ppl.
I first started smoking my EL REY DEL MUNDO cigars when I moved here. The neighbors are good guys. They all started smoking cigars to. They said they liked the smell of my cigars. I'm a lucky guy I guess in that way. Now I smoke my pipes and they comment on the smells of that to. They're good people.
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