Tuesday, December 3, 2013

See something say something

You know my neighbor who called the police because I was "knocking on the walls"? The neighbor who sends a letter of complaint to the home owner's association every week? The neighbor who asked me to get her mail for her and then accused me of hiding half of it? I've gotten really good at avoiding her. I once spent fifteen minutes hiding behind a dumpster when I spotted her outside.  I park on the other side of the complex so our paths won't cross. I tiptoe past her apartment to get downstairs.  And if I hear her door open, I run. 

But today, for the first time in a year, I found myself facing her. I must have been distracted by helping Ivy up the stairs because I didn't her the lock turn. So before I had a chance to sprint away, she stepped outside, a mere foot away from where I stood. I froze. And then I had  to make a choice.  Keep walking and acknowledge our mutual hatred. Pretend to be blind. Or smile and say hello. In the spirit of making amends, I chose the latter. In turn she averted her eyes and strode away.

At least she didn't yell? At least she didn't yell. 

Merry Christmas, neighbor. 

2 comments:

  1. While Graydon and I were in Germany, we were waiting for a refrigerator delivery, but we didn't have a phone, so the delivery service called friends, who tried to get ahold of us by calling someone else in the apartment building. The woman our friend called swore up and down at her, and was generally very abrasive and offensive. Gabi, our friend, later had a visiting teaching lesson about being a woman of God, not a woman of the world. She took our neighbor flowers and apologized, and let me tell you-- after that, our neighbor was the nicest lady!

    The point of the story: (1) Sometimes neighbors are really weird. (2) In my opinion, you made the right choice. :) Good on you!

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  2. Thank you! Neighbors are usually really weird, in my experience.

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