New Kid on the Block
It was the truck-
That's what I saw first.
And then a person,
a man,
emerged from the vehicle.
He was short, thin and in his mid-30's. He was alone.
No woman.
No kids.
Was he a hired hand? A landscaper? A realtor?
The house that had stood vacant for months had a visitor and by golly I was going to find out who he was.
As my eyes narrowed in to capture his every move they began to ache from the intensity of my stare. I remembered that our binoculars were just in the other room. The ones we bought for some serious whale-watching on our trip to Alaska a few years ago that now doubled as lenses to our neighbors' remodeling endeavors and class-less arguments in front of their homes.
Yes.
I am the sole member of the neighborhood watch program and I'm not even a little bit ashamed about it.
I have a daughter, you know,
and until she moves out of my home I will use her as an excuse to spy, speculate, rubber-neck and write down suspicious vehicles' license plate numbers in order to protect her from neighbors that may or may not be pedophiles, drug dealers and gang members.
I have no proof of any of that, of course.
Not yet, anyway.
So far I live in a neighborhood where, despite some marital discord here and there, everyone waves to one another, shares tips for a greener lawn and even attends one anothers' kids birthday parties.
Of course,
Even that might seem suspicious.
But it seems we have some new 'normal' looking neighbors.
The harmless looking gent has a wife, after all. Or,
It could be his mistress or imported child bride (she looked just a tad young).
And I will pretend to throw out the garbage when I see them outside.
I will throw out so much pretend garbage until I am able to engage them in conversation and find out their who-abouts.
And then,
I will be able to confirm or deny their involvement in any illegal activities.
I've got my eyes on you, neighbor.
That's what I saw first.
And then a person,
a man,
emerged from the vehicle.
He was short, thin and in his mid-30's. He was alone.
No woman.
No kids.
Was he a hired hand? A landscaper? A realtor?
The house that had stood vacant for months had a visitor and by golly I was going to find out who he was.
As my eyes narrowed in to capture his every move they began to ache from the intensity of my stare. I remembered that our binoculars were just in the other room. The ones we bought for some serious whale-watching on our trip to Alaska a few years ago that now doubled as lenses to our neighbors' remodeling endeavors and class-less arguments in front of their homes.
Yes.
I am the sole member of the neighborhood watch program and I'm not even a little bit ashamed about it.
I have a daughter, you know,
and until she moves out of my home I will use her as an excuse to spy, speculate, rubber-neck and write down suspicious vehicles' license plate numbers in order to protect her from neighbors that may or may not be pedophiles, drug dealers and gang members.
I have no proof of any of that, of course.
Not yet, anyway.
So far I live in a neighborhood where, despite some marital discord here and there, everyone waves to one another, shares tips for a greener lawn and even attends one anothers' kids birthday parties.
Of course,
Even that might seem suspicious.
But it seems we have some new 'normal' looking neighbors.
The harmless looking gent has a wife, after all. Or,
It could be his mistress or imported child bride (she looked just a tad young).
And I will pretend to throw out the garbage when I see them outside.
I will throw out so much pretend garbage until I am able to engage them in conversation and find out their who-abouts.
And then,
I will be able to confirm or deny their involvement in any illegal activities.
I've got my eyes on you, neighbor.
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