Saturday, March 21, 2009

Neighbor Nutz #1


A neighbor catty cornered used to be the local gossip-- when you'd run into him you felt everything you said was being reported to Devonshire Division. Or at least to his wife. He was fun to talk to.

But in the last year or two he's stayed indoors more, with 3 SUVs parked in the driveway, all black vehicles, and no communication. His two kids are now in high school. Not sure if he has a job or not.

Even though this sounds negative, we had some great middle of the cul de sac conversations. He'd grown up Jewish, in Atlanta, with a warm and friendly neighborhood life, and was so disappointed in the remoteness of our street, even though we'd shared a big earthquake together.

Two days ago this huge blue container was dropped in front of his house. Big enough to contain 2/3 of his house at least. Jon passed him on the street and asked what was up.

He said, "Now that the kids are in high school, we don't need the stuffed animals and shit."

Woah, I'd say it's going to take a lot of stuffed animals etc. to stuff this dumpster! Like maybe a part of the stimulus package times x the unknown?

Do you think this blue container is some kind of threat to his kids, or his wife? "If you don't" <>", I'm going to get a great big dumpster and throw everything... "ya ya ya.

Even Dinah, who had stuffed animal toxic overload, could never have filled this bin with stuffed animals etc! (Can't find the mighty Beanie Babies photo to demonstrate.)

Or is our poor bud just losing it altogether? Geez, do you think he views this blog? He used to be such an awful snoop! But you were a great neighbor, Sc--t, really! Good for you to purge. Makes us all want to clean up our acts, or garages, or stuffed animal resettlement areas.

How are your neighbors doing?

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

He's probably remodeling something or tearing out old carpet. If you have any junk laying around, ask him if you can toss it in there.

We rented those dumpsters twice when we remodeled and we put bushes and all kinds of stuff in them.

Anonymous said...

What about donating to charity or recycling? Sometimes I want to just put stuff out by the street so someone will drive by and take it. (Sometimes it works.) I feel the urge to purge, start over, live more simply, have less to care for, be able to find things! Only it's not MY stuff I want to get rid of so much -- makes it trickier. We don't know too many neighbors; everybody works. One neighbor wants to use our garden since they've realized we're not exactly getting maximum use out of it with our less than green thumbs (!).

Anonymous said...

I should have said "dead bushes". We never throw out anything somebody can use.

Everything that had any value went to Habitat.

Sally said...

We've had the remodel dumpster too but this one isn't for remodeling and it's huge. And yes I could definitely contribute to the pile if he'd let me. This one is big enough you could definitely live inside.

stray, funny about the gardener.

LynnyM said...

We've got neighbors with a big ol' dumpster too (green)...but it's totally legit: They've had a house fire. One of those ones where the dog actually woke everybody up and saved the day.

The cats died, sadly.

...oh, if you haven't noticed, I'm new here. I'm a fan. So...that's where this is coming from, lawls.

Sally said...

Secret revealed this afternoon. Sign of the economy: he's moving his office into the garage. Probably didn't want to say so because it sounds like a step down. I met his wife in the street and we talked about things, first time in about two years.

Sally said...

and WELCOME LynnyM!

Anonymous said...

If I had to move my office into the garage it would be a step down, too, as my office has always been in the dining room.

I would give anythin to have a big dumpster parked outside our house sometime when my husband is out of town.

I wish my neighbors would offer to use our "garden."

Sally said...

oh my, mysteria, mysterryus guest, laugh of the month or maybe the year so far, thank you.

stray said...

Just re-read this. The line about a dumpster as a threat to a spouse is hilarious.