I have new neighbors. They seem nice and are polite . Their children are kept indoors and allowed outside occasionally with adult supervision and kept reigned in to the length of the property line. (32 yards).
Our introduction to each other was sudden and brought about by criminal activity on my block by the tweeker turned drug dealer across the street. The neighbors moved in the day the DEA and entire police force sealed off our block for 4 hours until it was decided Tweeker should go to jail. We introduced each other for safety in numbers and reassurance that we were a tight nit group of neighborhood watchers. . . something my new neighbor takes very seriously as he now has cameras mounted and alarm system installed to thwart any malicious or criminal activity against his property.
I was told by the family patriarch that he is gainfully employed, has been wealthy and settled on this neighborhood to appease his wife's passion for "RETRO 1960's Ranch style home and garden" and he intends to outfit his home to reflect an old calendar he has for reference. Good for him. Pour your money into the place. It can only help my houses market value increase.I have yet to see the man go to work. Maybe he's made his money and retired at age 40. He tells me he used to live in a 4,000 + sq. ft. home in an exclusive gated community and traded it all for this 1700 sq ft. of paradise here in the hood .
He is home all day looking out the slits of his new shutters and he pokes his head out the front door if he sees Captain Morgan run down his bit of front sidewalk . ( IM wondering if he is the new drug kingpin. . . he did show up the day tweeker was arrested and black Mercedes parking in front often.)
I give him my, "HELLO!. Yes I know my dog is out running but he doesn't care about your lawn so go back inside" wave. Also accompanied by well practiced smiles of tolerance and head bobbing. (I note he has also studied this form in front of the mirror. He also has the head nod-bob-clenched toothed-smile with sinister look perfected. I know it well. I have refined this also.)
We've been away from home for a couple of weeks. We returned to find part of the new retro outfitted yard plan completed next door. The promised "awesome and streamlined" landscaping and what I think the neighbor hopes is a pair of money trees, but seem more likely to be the start of a front yard avocado grove, are firmly planted in ground.
Applauding his eagerness to be the first on the block to have sustainable guacamole providers but he may be disappointed that these 10 foot trees will not be producing fruit for a few more years and are going to make a huge mess all over his manicured retro front lawn if they live that long. And lets face it- they aren't very pretty trees. As long as they stay on his side of the fence and away from my sewage lines, I'm okay with it.
We noted that he has the trees planted directly next to his sewage line so we wish him luck with those 55 year old pipes and future roots. Do I dare tell him the homes original owners removed all of the front lawn and side walk trees 30 years ago because they could no longer keep the tree roots from growing up out of the toilet and taking over their home? The deed is done and my opinion not solicited so we wish him a bountiful crop of avocados and clear sewer lines.
It's nice to have friendly new people. You never know who will move in and if they may be your newest nightmare. Fingers crossed and hopes for kind gestures and daily exchanges of pleasantry even if no friendship abounds.
"Who are the People in your neighborhood, in your neighborhood, in your neigh-bor-hood, oh
who are the people in your neighborhood.? The people that you greet each day."
- Sesame streets Big Bird
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