Pat & Mike, Good Neighbors?

A

AdamFencepost

New Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2012
Messages
165
Reaction score
0
No, I didn't need to give them fake names.

Pat's getting to be kind of an old guy and has been in the neighborhood just about forever. Mike moved here after me and is 30-something, I'd guess. His wife has had 2 children while they've lived across the road from Pat and me. The older must be in kindergarten this year. There are 2 older sisters, and one catches the bus with the middle school kids.

Pat is kind of a nervous guy and talks fast. I can't understand a word he says :roll:. So, I listen intently, nod my head a few times, say a couple of things that I think might be the subject at hand, and then kind of wander off with a smile . . . Pat knows I'm hard of hearing.

Right after Mike moved in across the road, he came out and lifted the hood on his old pickup. Weeellll, you know how some of these guys are . . ! Pat was over there in minutes. Pat is more than just a shade tree mechanic.

I'm just observing from my yard. Mike ends up at the tailgate and then, just leaves . . . goes back in the house. Pat stands there for about 30 seconds. Must have realized how silly that looked. Wandered back to his own yard. Mike finally came out hours later and closed the hood.

I only know Mike's name because my wife hears his wife yelling at him. The guy has said 1 thing to me in the 5+ years that he's lived there:
Mike's next door neighbor had a party and somebody parked a little in Mike's driveway and left the car there. Mike's vehicle was on the road but his wife's was blocked. "You know anything about that car?" No. "It's gettin' towed!"
​
I should say that this was 5:30 on a Saturday morning. Yes, I was out in my driveway that early. Surprised to see Mike. Surprised that he said anything to me. Surprised how ticked he was! Surprised that his wife set off her own car alarm trying to wake the nextdoor neighbor after Mike couldn't get anyone to come to the door.

Pat, he's up and down the road aaaallll the time. I wish I could better talk to him. Sure, I'm curious about the neighborhood and what's going on ;). He always seems to have lots to talk about with folks. I've never seen him over in Mike's yard since that 1st day. Haven't seen Mike doing more than hammering at his neighbor's door at 5:30 on a Saturday morning.

Do you have neighbors like Pat & Mike? One you'd enjoy talking with. One who wouldn't give you the time of day if your life depended on it.
 
I've lived in my neighborhood all my life, but today I don't know as many of the neighbors. Sometimes during a bad snowstorm, I'll dig out the end of some people's driveways which allows a brief opportunity for interaction. When I was a kid less than 10% of the people were renters, today, 80% of the people rent or are condo owners.

Being deaf, I certainly don't get all the info.
 
I can't believe that I have the good fortune to live next to a deaf neighbor, now. She's a widow, a little younger than I am, with a few real cute grandkids who visit often. I mean, the lady has even decorated her backyard for Christmas. She's a renter but has been there about 3 years. I tell her I'm worried she might leave.

I'm a little worried about the house directly across from her. It was foreclosed and a young guy actually moved in to do repairs. Pretty obvious that he had another home but he was busy for a few weeks after the 4 Sale sign came down. Haven't seen him this month. Lots more repair work could be done.

I get along fine with some who rent and some who own. Mike must be an owner - he's put up a fence (no surprise there, I guess) & replaced the windows.
 
Most people own their homes in our neighborhood, but most are Bosnian immigrants . So they mostly just socialize with each other.

They neighbors on either side of me have dogs and my dogs like to run up and down the fence with them. My husband does talk to them so I know the dogs names.

My older neighbor has a daughter and son in law who lives with her, and she does wave hi if our dogs are playing together.

The younger one quickly runs inside and gets her dogs to go in if she sees me come out. I need to use a white cane to go out in the yard if it is dark at all, and she asked my husband if I am blind. When he told her I am also deaf, I think it terrified her. Not sure if she is afraid it is contagious or just thinking I might try to talk to her and she wouldn't know what to do. :P

She has only been there a year, so she might get over it eventually.

Across the street are elderly Jehovah's Witnesses, and they are nice calm people who have no fear and are very pleasant if I see them.
 
Kids really can help integrate a neighborhood. Dogs - probably not so much.

My youngest was still at home when we moved here 17 years ago. Pat had a son the same age. They didn't get along so well but Pat has always enjoyed talking with her when she stops by and they are both outdoors. That helps.

In fact, she has helped introduce some of the new neighbors to Pat. Not that he needs much help with introductions . . . But Yeah, kids her age are now moving into our neighborhood and buying homes :giggle:!
 
Was that car with hood up turbocharged? If not, I would wonder why bother with this?

If it was turbocharged, then maybe they would discuss different ways to give it more boost.
 
No, it was just an old pickup with a problem, I guess.

It was a summer weekend afternoon.

He is a guy in his 60's who still spends some time working on trucks for a living and hangs out in his backyard garage or the front yard when he is at home. Or, he wanders off down the road to talk to every neighbor in sight.
 
Back
Top