Growing up in a big city, it's hard to know who your neighbors are. When we were in an apartment building in Manhattan, we knew our next door neighbors and recognized the people on our floor. Then when we moved to Queens, we knew the next door neighbors and made friends with the family across the street who had children our age. After getting married and moving, we only knew our next door neighbors because we were busy with law school and work.At last, we bought our own home. Now, we only knew the old couple from next door because we were so busy working. I befriended the other neighbor when I got locked out of the house one morning after dropping off B at the babysitter's house. These neighbors let me borrow their phone to call a locksmith to break the lock. That was before I had a cell phone. Eventually, the old couple passed away. The other neighbors were renters so they kept changing.
After I retired, I got to know more people on our block. Whenever a new family moved in around us, I would introduce myself and welcome them. It seemed like the right thing to do. So far there's only been one house a few doors down who chose to be unfriendly.
Well....this morning, I was rudely awakened by people wanting me to move my vehicle so that a big-ass moving van could park. They were moving stuff for my new neighbors -- right next door! I can't believe the next door neighbors would move without telling me?! The wife was out with us cleaning up after the tornado hit a few weeks ago. I had left them a note (with my phone number) last week before the garage roof work started, asking for permission to use their backyard. I did notice that their dog wasn't around, so I thought they were on vacation. Apparently, my son saw them moving stuff out this weekend while I was away. After all these years, they couldn't tell me they were leaving? I am a little hurt. We weren't friends, but it would've been nice for them to say something.
Meanwhile, the neighbors who rented on the other side moved out about a month ago. Now we'll have to wait and see who the new tenants are. After all these years, I think I only got to really know two families who have lived there.
We live in a busy city where people are always in and out of their homes. We see each other only for brief moments in passing. The families with children are easier to befriend. One neighbor who lives behind us is definitely in the "friends" category. Our children get along so well and they can play together whenever we're both home. That was how it was with my friend Sharon who lived across the street. That's how I imagined it would be when we moved here but there weren't enough families with children.
I hope the two new sets of next door neighbors are nice. It would be a bonus if they had children who got along with my children.
