Neighbors

I love Trick or Treating. Even now that I'm an adult and I'm the one passing out the candy. Trick or Treating brings everyone out of their homes and into the night. As a child it gave me the excuse ring doorbells and knock on doors I normally wouldn't be welcome at. Perfect strangers would look happy to see me and give me candy.
I like to think we live in a pretty typical neighborhood. Although, it's quiet here. Our neighbors to the north and south of us moved out within months of each other. And that was when I realized, we've been in our current house for over two years, and I didn't even know the people living only feet from my house. I would see them getting into their cars in the morning, or letting their dog outside, but, we would just sort of wave at each other. I suppose I "knew" the people who lived to the north of us. We introduced ourselves one time. Our neighborliness only went so far as politely pretending we didn't see each other running our recycling bins out to the curb, wearing only our p.j.'s. But, the truth is, I remember their dogs name but, not theirs. It's easy enough to remember a name, especially if you hear someone calling it from their back porch often enough.

Now we've received a fresh batch of new neighbors. So, I've been determined to do better this time. When the first pair moved in I made a point to go over and introduce myself. I really wasn't sure what to do. Do I take a casserole? On T.V. there always bringing new neighbors jell-o molds and welcome baskets. I didn't have any of those things. I took the baby. Well, if anything she's a wonderful ice breaker. Complete strangers will stop me on the street, if I'm carrying the baby. Some of them will even talk directly at me, others will direct all the questions at the baby in a singsong voice. "And who are you? We'll aren't you the cutest thing. Are we crawling yet? And, oh, those eyes... " Etc. Etc. Anyway, the meeting went well enough. In fact, not only did they tell me their dogs name but, theirs too. And during our garage sale they brought me over a cutting from one of their cactus plants I had been admiring. Bonus.
Then, the opportunity came up to volunteer and go door to door, passing out information about the Leukemia and Lymphoma society, and to collect donations. And to my surprise, I took it. Door to door anything did not seem like me, but, it was the perfect excuse to introduce myself to my other neighbors.
So, armed with a new sense of neighborliness, I packed the baby in her sling and I went around knocking on doors. To my surprise, no one called me Ned Flanders and slammed the door in my face. I actually got a few donations. Plus, I've had some nice encounters with several of my neighbors since then.
A women who lives in the house down the street, brought a new outfit over for the baby. She saw it on clearance and she said she couldn't resist. My neighbors across the street have two little ones. They let me borrow a car seat one day, when I forgot to grab the baby's out of the car before Boy left for work. I felt like such a nerd going over there to ask them. The only thing that convinced me was a vision of my baby in the cat carrier. But, they were really sweet about letting me borrow it. The husband even helped me get it in the car. I was so thankful, I gave them a loaf of homemade bread when I returned it. A few days ago, they saw me outside raking leaves and they brought over a whole bag of baby clothes that their daughter no longer fits into.
Last week, the for sale sign came down in front of the house on the south side. This time I'm going over there with some homemade bread. But, I'll still take the baby.