My Neighbors

Yesterday, I met my neighbor out on the street. I was coming home from the gym, while she was pushing her young child around in a stroller, headed in the opposite direction. I smiled. She smiled. The child was staring at a Dunkin' Donuts sign. As I made my way home, I started thinking about my past neighbors. My neighbor across the hall from me in Michigan was a little hard of hearing, so on Nascar Sunday's I usually went into work. He and I talked almost everyday. Conversations about Nascar were short while talks about basketball were longer. My upstairs neighbors in Japan had hard wood floors and three small dogs. The daughter would work late into the night and then play with the dogs upon her return. I couldn't get mad at them. First, they owned the building. Second, they were pleasant. Third, they were one of the few landlords in the area that would rent to foreigners. My real estate agent said that landlords were asked if they would rent to foreigners, members of the Japanese mafia, and water servers (prostitutes). My neighbor in Guatemala was an older gent. He lived alone and was very quiet. One day I saw his living room from my entry way. He had expensive furniture. I had a two bedroom apartment that was barely furnished. My roommate and I talked about getting furniture, but it was just talk. We both seemed content to sit on the floor. I can organize my old and current neighbors into many categories, but the relevant themes for this story are noisy and quiet. My current apartment has 2-ply walls and my neighbors are loud. The adults fight with each other. The young child fights with the adults. An adult and the child sometimes pick a fight with the other adult. The only time they are quiet is when American Idol is on the telly. I started thinking about neighbors and noise, because my neighbor is pregnant. I found out yesterday when I saw her walking down the street. Two things struck me. Even though, I hear them argue, I do not hear what they are fighting about. I'm sure this pregnancy has been argued over and about. Second, I have to move.