Shit You Should Know

Friday, October 15, 2010

These Are The People In My Neighborhood



These are the people in my neighborhood. These are the people that I meet when I’m walking down the street…they’re people that I meet each day!  Lucky me!
Ever since we left Texas my husband and I swore that we would avoid our neighbors other then the typical wave and head nod from time to time. Trust me things are simpler that way. We both recognize that I possess some sort of CRAZY magnet where every loony within a 10 to 20 mile radius gravitates towards me only to spew their psycho drama into my lap. I'm serious!  They follow me like a horde of zombies.  Our roomy, Buddy, does not quite understand the detrimental ramifications that a mere short conversation can have on ones future.
A good place to start would probably be the beginning, right?

When we moved to Oklahoma back in March, my next door neighbor introduced herself to me. For the sake of anonymity, we will call this neighbor “Holly”. Holly told me that she had a few dogs and a few roommates. It wasn’t hard to tell that many adults lived in the house. It always seemed like a used car lot out there.

The longer we lived in our house, the more other neighbors around us would slowly divulge bits and pieces of information to us about our immediate neighbors. We were told that Holly at one time lived in the house with her husband and two children. After the divorce, the husband moved back to where ever it is he was from and the children went with him. Now I know it isn’t unheard of but it is always unusual to me when a father gets full custody of the children. Most judges, unless there is a specific reason, usually award custody to the mother. I don’t believe it to be necessarily fair. I’m just stating my take on things.
Months pass. My husband and I would discuss the comings and goings that took place from the home. One time in particular, a lady pulled up and went inside. I heard a little voice say, “Hi.” When I glanced over to the direction of the greeting, I saw a little girl no older than four in the front passenger seat with the window rolled down just steady waving to me. A few minutes later, mom came back out, hopped in the car and drove off. This seemed to be a common occurrence over there. Seemed like a “drive-thru” to me.
Within the past few weeks, I noticed that I hadn’t heard the dogs in awhile and then it dawned on me that I hadn’t seen anyone around the house either. One night while Buddy and I were having a cigarette in the backyard we heard people talking on the other side of the fence. Buddy, being the sort of friendly goob that he is, went to the fence `a la Wilson from the show Home Improvement and struck up a conversation with a fellow we will call “Chance”. Apparently, Chance is the maintenance man for the house. He told Buddy that Holly and friends basically just packed up their shit and left. They seriously must have done it in the middle of the night. It’s not like I ever saw a moving van.

After Wilson, err-- I mean Buddy, ended his fence chat we go back inside and he proceeds to tell me about Chance’s rotting teeth which only added to my suspicion of the house next door being a sort of drug haven.

A few days later, KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK! There’s a man at the door thrusting a badge in my face asking questions about some guy named “Holt” that apparently lived next door. I had never met this Holt person and I wasn’t about to offer up my speculation to a special agent for the simple fact that it was just that…ONLY speculation. That evening I told Buddy about my visitor and he jumped on the first chance he got to have another fence convo with Mr. Rotten Teeth.
Another few days later and I saw a moving van in front of the house with new faces and Chance. Once again, Buddy chitty-chatted with the new neighbors, a man named “Ray” and a woman named “Tina”. Later he reveals to me that they too have a serious tooth decay problem.
Today I met Tina for myself and a friend of hers. I must say the tooth issue both ladies seemed to suffer from was entirely noticeable from a distance. It’s both sad and horrible all at the same time. It was very distracting in that it’s hard not to take glances at thier rotting teeth as they speak.
Who the hell would want to put this shit in their bodies?!?!

Honestly, after first meeting Chance I wanted to believe maybe he just had dental issues but what is the likeliness of that many people at the same residence needing to see a dentist that bad?? I understand that other issues cause tooth decay but I cannot shake the thought of meth and/or crack users from my mind or the fact that I believe they are residing next to me. It scares me to think that all the coming and going could be the result of drug deals and what’s worse is the fear that if they are “cooking” next door it makes things even worse and extremely dangerous and deadly.

Worse still is the new family has a little girl. She must be about three and is just as cute as cute can be. I feel sad and afraid for her.

I have a bad, bad habit of jumping to conclusions. Just ask my husband. I really want to give these people the benefit of the doubt. Maybe…just maybe, they are recovering junkies and/or just bad dental hygiene habits. I hope so. I really do but trust me I will not be going out of my way to befriend them so that I can find out. Believe that!  

 

6 comments:

  1. LOL I know this was not supposed to be funny, but that video had me laughing. The picture of the girl made me gag.

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  2. wow, that's really sad. I hope it has a better ending.

    I may be criticized for this, because it's in no way your responsibility, but I think you may want to establish a relationship with your new neighbors, and perhaps spend a little time with the little girl. No way does she deserve to go through a childhood with parents who are core junkies. The implications last a life time.
    Besides, it'd be good to help someone else out, confirm (or preferably disprove) your fears and be that one positive relationship with the little girl. It won't make much difference to her, but it'll mean the world to her.

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  3. @FranticMom...I have a sick sense of humor. I could be talking about a loved one dying and I'd still poke fun. That's how I keep from cracking up, girl.

    @Alpha...I would never criticize your opinion! I have thought about it. I only found out there was a little girl a couple of days ago. My only fear is junkies will drain you. I may end up being constantly called upon for this and that. I know that selfish but I never said I wasn't.

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  4. OK, those demotivational posters are MINT. Love em.

    Also, send me your address, please - email it to tershbango@gmail.com. Your comment on my recent blog post is worthy of a runner-up prize because I laughed so hard picturing you frantically Googling a gigantic butt plug. :)

    Tricia
    Confessions of a Recovering Cynic
    http://tershbango.blogspot.com

    P.S. And you're right, Asha, they WILL drain you. I dated a wonderful guy who was horrifically, violently alcoholic and it was completely exhausting trying to help him pick up the pieces of his life every time he relapsed, knowing it would likely just start the cycle all over again. :(

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  5. I want to know too.. what's happening in that house.. I mean with the teeth problems. I think befriending them is not a duty.. but I think being a neighbor you should also be concern..

    not only thinking about the girl but since you are living next to them.. the safety of your environment where your family is living matters..

    hope you can learn more about this before anything worst happens..

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  6. Very entertaining reading. I like the pictures too. Follow me at http://helpmefixitnow.blogspot.com/
    http://mywoodworkingsolutions.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete

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