What Kind Of Neighbor Are You?

Years ago, I learned a very valuable and important life lesson. It may even be one of THE most important of them all. (And trust me, there are many)

Neighbors...

I was so young and naïve when I moved out of my parent's house and into the big world of well...ya know...reality. Into an apartment complex amidst a small town. Somehow, my parents had managed to protect me from much of the world's strange and unusual traits, gossip, and overall ick. We lived so far into the mountains that we literally had no cable until I was around 17 years of age and my grandmother often times used the word “strumpet” to describe certain women on local TV. That is about all I was equipped with.

But I quickly began to notice and learn things, on my own.

One of these things just so happened to be communal living. Growing up out in the country was such an inconvenience when I was younger, but I quickly began to appreciate the privacy, once I became a card carrying “adult”.

Flash forward alllllmost 14 years, take a step back, and evaluate. After living in complexes of various forms, developments, and well...New York, I quickly learned to essentially keep to myself. It isn't that I dislike the idea of being neighborly and sharing stories about my personal life with those who dwell around me. No. That isn't it at all. I am actually the paragon of the “sweet neighbor girl”. And this is where it gets hairy.

When certain neighbors know they can come into your house, let their kids run into your house, open your fridge and grab sodas, use your computer because they do not have internet, or any other thing you could possibly think of, they WILL take advantage of the “sweet neighbor girl”. So after learning this YEARS ago while living in my first house, I essentially decided that being “mysterious neighbor girl”, was a far better deal. I will admit, after having moved around A LOT, this decision has definitely saved me and mine, many times.

Example: I love to be outside. The sunshine is like some sort of drug for me. I love to go out, read, write, listen to some music, get a little bit of color, and just tune out the world for a bit. When living in close proximity to others, this can become awkward.

I am outside wearing a pair of oversized sunglasses, cutoffs and a strapless top, book in hand (sometimes reading, sometimes writing), and plugged into a music source of some sort. I answer the occasional text because one such woman of mystery must keep up with her equally esoteric comrades, and usually am sipping on some sort of iced coffee situation.

First, let us place this scenario on an army base. I do not feel the urge to elaborate on that particular situation. But luckily, everyone basically keeps to themselves, despite my overt presence. And do you know why? Mystery can be intimidating and intimidation can be scary and scary is what we are aiming for! Okay, so I digress...that is a bit excessive.

MYSTERY NEIGHBOR GIRL  
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN

As mystery neighbor girl, I am the topic of much discussion and hear more about myself from the neighbors I only speak to in passing, than the neighbors I actually do know. You see, I have this life...and it's kinda cool. And when the hot fiance begins to become a topic, that is when you know you have, without a shadow of a doubt, achieved MYSTERY NEIGHBOR STATUS. 

The more people coming and going from mystery neighbors residence, the better. It throws them off their axis. Just when they think I am going to zig, I zag! 


One must keep them guessing at all times.

They call me “Sunshine”. Why do they call me this? Because my vanity plate says it and they do not know my real name. I like that...very much.

Whenever I go somewhere, whether it be with friends, a date, or just a solo excursion into the big bad city, the entire development begins to buzz. I have this tendency to go out at night quite a bit. I have friends all over the country who are musicians and I love to go listen to them perform. If a neighbor ever catches me on the way to my car, they say a simple “hello”, step out of the way, and that is that. 

Sort of...

The next day, “What time did Sunshine come in this morning?” Because you know, if you go out at night, you MUST be up to something...mysterious.

If I am inactive for a few days in a row, writing or just making calls or emailing, it is a new story. “Sunshine hasn't been out in awhile. She's all hold up in her apartment.” And so on. 

It is cyclical and it is hilarious.

They know when I come and go. When I write outside. When I relax on my deck.When I go out for the night. When I stay up late. What I drive and when, but not where! What my friends drive. The way I dress. The color of my hair, and so on....

But my name?

People are so cute.