Tuesday, May 26, 2009

None of our Business

We moved into this house almost 3 years ago and discovered there was a rather elderly couple living next door.  We saw the man quite often out mowing the lawn, working in the yard, tinkering in the garage, what-have-you.  He kept to himself, but was always good for a friendly wave or warm smile.  His wife, on the other hand, rarely came out of the house except to get the mail, and she certainly never offered a friendly gesture.  

Well, after about 9 months, we suddenly stopped seeing the husband.  Shortly after he disappeared we started seeing her ALL the time.  Ever since then she's been the one tinkering, swinging on the swing, and working in the yard.  All while still being completely unfriendly.  Also, there have since been numerous visits from, we assume, their children, who we never recall seeing before the disappearance.  On top of that, various older male visitors appear from time-to-time (sometimes more than one at a time) and we often wonder why such a crabby woman has so many suitors.  Not that any of this is our business, whatsoever.  So, I'll get to the point.  

Two summers ago Laurence was quick to notice that the man wasn't around any more.  He asked about it, and we told him what we assumed, though never confirmed, to be true - that the man became sick and passed away.  He seemed fine with that, and has never mentioned him since.  The boys and I spend a lot of time in the yard when the weather is nice, so he's been witnessing all the comings & goings of the gentlemen friends right along with me.  Well, just the other day we're out there playing and he's chasing a ball or something toward their yard where the woman and a random "friend" are swinging.  Suddenly he stops in his tracks, and yells loud enough for the whole block to hear, "Well, Mommy!  It looks like that man didn't die after all!"  Guess who else stopped in their tracks?  That mind of his!  Why now, after 2 years, would he think the man that lived there has reappeared?  Anyway, I quickly ushered him over to the deck, and trying to hold back my snickering, explained that we don't talk about other people's business unless invited to.  Or at least not loud enough for them to hear us...

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