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In our neighborhood when I was growing up, there were certain blocks on certain streets that we did not walk on as kids. Some of the residents were strange and had various ways of chasing us off; apparently, they were very possessive of their property and did not realize that the sidewalk was a public street The men were usually away at work, but if they were home - we would be perfect angels as there were rumors that some kept guns in their pockets and would shoot misbehaving kids on site (I think one of us kids started that rumor because they looked so mean). Others would come out on their porch and watch us walk by, staring and daring us to do something. We would try smiling and waving, but if they did not respond, we would walk quickly because they would tell someone who would in turn, tell our parents that we were up to no good, and we would be in big trouble. So it is only natural that when I grew up I was overly cautious about any new neighbors.

I think everyone has one or two neighbors from hell in their lifetime; usually, we were it, but for a while we were the normal ones. One of the houses next door was for sale and had various renters occupying the place during the listing time. One of the renters grew marijuana and apparently the Drug Police had the neighborhood staked out. The man seemed nice and lived there for several months. One morning I left for town (which was my pattern) after I was gone, the police swarmed the house coming through our property, the property across the street, and his neighboring property. Hundreds of plants were confiscated, not to mention over $60,000 cash and weapons. By the time I came home (about two hours later), there was no sign that anything went on. The neighbor on the other side of us had a ringside seat and told us all about it - I missed everything.

The next neighbors were not very sociable and they were some sort of volunteer humane society people (I don't think they were affiliated with any humane society - they just had a lot of dogs). The dogs were mean and they chased my youngest son when he came home from school. We would go complain, but the neighbors would not keep the dogs in. They said they would report us to the sheriff for harassing them - sooo, we did what any normal family would do. In the field next to their house (which was our property), we put up a volleyball net and we played volleyball there so that they would have to keep their dogs in when we were out there. If they didn't and we got bit, we could sue. I hated going out in front and playing volleyball - but being annoying was its own reward, so there I was being a total embarrassment to myself. The kids did have fun and my husband felt that he exacted his revenge, so who was I to object.

I had to mow that lawn once a week and since the volleyball posts were embedded in cement-filled tires, I had to move them every time I mowed. I made out like it was easy (in case they were watching), but I could not breathe by the time I moved them out of the way and back again after I mowed - but we sure showed them! Finally they moved and we could haul the volleyball posts to the backfield where they belonged. I have good neighbors now, well except for one who tried to hang herself from a light fixture then got mad because we rescued her at the request of one of her children. She no longer speaks to us, but is still alive at least. I am hoping that no one moves any time soon, I am getting too old to adjust to change.

Learn more about this author, Margaret Radisich Sleasman.
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