How well, and to what extent, do you know your neighbors?

I don’t know last names.

Gerry lives across the street. Her husband died last year from cancer. Her son Scott stops by with his new wife Lisa to visit his mother and keep up the property on Sundays.

Neighbors to my right are John and Peg. They just got weight loss surgury together and look/feel better than ever. John, a Postman, has lost 80 pounds and works out at the neighborhood gym to keep it off. Peg just had to take a job out of town and they’ve been separated for a week now. She’s a nanny for a family that moved away. They are trying very hard to deal with the issues of being separated. John is concerned with all the cutbacks at the Post office. He’s a photo enthusiast and bugs me with stupid little photo questions all the time. I don’t mind.

Tone and Tee are newlyweds to my left. Very handsome couple. They dont complain when I get their cars dusty from doing body work on my own. They have a new puppy named Lilly who is great pals with my PitPit. Tee likes having girlfriend parties to show off the married life and new house. This gives Tone a chance to have private dinners with his Pop. They are botb Real Estate Agents hoping for the bousing market to come back. The big tree in their back yard just fell down and would have killed Lillie had she been outside.

Old Dan down the street is a retired carpenter who does odd jobs in the neighborhood. He sets a great example for the younger guys with a perfectly clean work truck to match is perfectly clean work ethic. He wants my great grandfathers bell that sits on my porch and has offered to buy it on occassion. I don’t know if he forgets my refusal, or if he’s testing my loyalties. I let him ring it whenever he wants.

Jamie on the other side is a talented interior designer. She thinks I’m weird and doesn’t like the way I admire her gardening skills. Not flirting with her really. But I’m sure she thinks I am.

Bill has an old vintage Beemer 635 csi a few years older than mine. He desperately wants a peek into my sparts drawers.

Judy can’t keep tbe squirrels out of her tomato patch. I think her sister is a lesbian.

The Mayor, who lives down the way knows to send his daughter to mg house when his dogs get loose. I feed them very well and they love escaping to pay me regular visits.

I could go on, but I’d like to hear about your neighbors. Do you see any value in knowing those closest in your community? Do you think knowing your neighbors could have any positive affect beyond your community? Would America be a better place if we all knew our neighbors?

BTW… The names have been changed to protect the innocent.