...La Paz
...La Paix
...la tranquillete
..le calm
My neighbours have moved house.
Last night I felt the absence. I lay on my kitchen floor rug, with my poochie and kitty and prayed that this will be the very last tenant living next door with a life full of chaos and drama.
I do not dislike the family, the girls are lovely, their mother is not unpleasant, either...but, the constant drama, noise, chaos, shouting, problems...well, they end up in the atmosphere and I feel it.
The lightness and relief that I felt last night was like a huge exhale.
The only hitch, here, is the probability of another family bringing their chaos into the terrace.
I'm hoping for the best and I am 100% sure that something good is coming. For 15 years the next door house has been a home to three families, all of which brought chaos and negativity to my doorstep.
Past due. Now is the time for something good to transpire. I have tolerated and tolerated and done my optimum to keep calm and drink tea : ) continue to be a good neighbour, understanding and non-combative.
I have not ever complained, apart from one time when I lost my 'rag' (or religion, my calm).
The niece, of 17-years-old, continuously came to my door at night to ask to use the garden fence to access entry to the place every time she did not have a door key - which appeared to be all of the time.
I was very understanding because I know how ditzy teen girls can be. They are not entirely responsible because they are just fledglings and have not yet learned to navigate the adult world.
In addition, I would always encourage teens to get home to safety late at night. So, yes, my answer to her was always 'yes'. I put a ladder up to the fence for them (the niece and her friend) to use.
Then, the third time in a row, late at night - I had already gone to my bed - I answered the door, knowing who it was.
I was not so accommodating, 'Can we use your garden to...?'
I cut her off, mid-sentence. "Where's your keys?"
She started to explain something about losing them...blah, blah
"Get a fucking new door key cut...No seriously, you need a fucking door key..."
They started to try and argue.
That was it...I saw red followed by full verbiage, uncensored coming straight at them - meaning that there is no further room for manoeuvre. I'm in charge now.
"Ok, enough. Listen. You cannot do this anymore, you are young girls out on your own without a door key. There are men out there...you know...one of these evenings you or both of you could get raped. Do you know what rape is?"
Their eyes widened and they stared at me loosing my control. One of them started to act up, teenage-strop-style (which I am no stranger to, having brought up my daughter)
"I'm serious. I know this, do you know why I know this? I was raped as a teenager. It was fucking horrible. It can happen to anyone at anytime. I would not wish that upon anyone. Don't keep on putting yourselves at risk. For fuck's sake, get a fucking key".
"..and yes, you can still use my garden, this last time because you should be indoors and safe. Go on. I'm going back to bed".
It was tough love. Shouting at them for their higher good, and ultimate safety.
They got home. I went to bed.....realising that I have a 'special' trigger switch, like a machine gun... a loose canon...but I only fire sweeties, love-hearts and rainbows...because everything that I say - during an onslaught - is meant to ultimately help you, not harm you.
I'm not concerned about having a fire-y temperament or disposition. It can be useful. My Sagittarius side, only shoves when push has come to shove....because you need to hear it, for your own good. Don't let yourself down. Don't let me down either. Listen to me, because I care.... I care about the safety of young women and girls, in particular.
I asked my neighbour the next day if the key had been sorted out. She reported that the girls had said that I had shouted at them. She said that they had needed it, because she was also fed-up with the way they were carrying on. It was not my responsibility to do this, sometimes you make it yours - indadvertedly.
Oftentimes, the best advice and help comes from the person who has been through the most hell and has lived to tell the tale.
They got a key cut and stopped staying out so late.
That's just a minor part of the stress of having car-crash neighbours.
Comments