I didn’t mind my neighborhood when I first moved in nearly three years ago. In the span of three months I had my air compressor and a 5 gallon gas can stolen, my car window was smashed in by someone looking for valuables, and there was a fist fight involving about 18 teenage boys in my front lawn. Even after all that I was hopeful. You know what? Other than rowdy college parties things weren’t really that bad over the course of the first two years. This past year and a half has really seen my neighborhood go downhill.
First, a number of houses in the area started being broken into. I count myself fortunate that nobody broke into my home. A group of young men clad in red tend to hang out on the street next to mine. Even though they should be in school they’re not. Nor do they appear to work. When they walk through the neighborhood they like to peer into automobiles and I’ve seen them walk onto yards casing houses. Yes, I’ve called the police when I see that behavior.
Not to long ago a neighbor down the street shot a seventeen year old who broke into his house, killing him. Two days later someone did a drive by shooting of the house but the neighbor had already moved out by then.
Then there’s the new neighbors I have gotten. The first set where a group that lived across the street. Quite honestly, I’m not really sure how many people lived there at any given time. It wasn’t that there was an inordinate amount of people living there it’s just that they seemed to rotate people. Their kids behave like animals. They tear shit up, I’m pretty sure they killed the baby birds in the nest in my front yard, and they’re loud and obnoxious (no, I don’t hate kids). Thankfully, they had a fire and the house is no longer fit to live in. Yay! These are the kind of people who let their three year old girl play on the street without supervision of any kind. I live at the top of a hill, someone driving up the hill too fast won’t see her in time to stop. Then there’s the crazy religious singing in the front yard. The parent(s) constantly shout at the kids and swear very loudly.
The neighbors that moved in directly next door are pretty bad as well. Their kids are hellions and they own about a million fucking cats. I’m a laid back guy and I don’t mind if one cat is hanging out but you shouldn’t have that many. I think someone called animal control or something because I haven’t seen them around in a while. However, these kids seem to think that my yard is their playground. When the kids next door combine with the kids down the street it just gets worse.
The newest neighbor is directly behind me (I have a corner lot). She likes to take her dog out to poop in other people’s yard. I have caught her using my yard, my neighbor’s yard, and I have asked her to stop. Honestly, I don’t really know what I can do to make it stop.
I’m tired of it. I used to have good neighbors but they saw the writing on the wall long before I did and they left. I should have left a year ago at the latest. So it’s partially my fault I suppose. Still, fuck you neighborhood. Because of you I can’t enjoy a few days away from my home for fear that it will be broken into, I worry about leaving my wife alone overnight because someone might break in, I worry about kids leaving their trash in my yard, and neighbors who don’t respect personal property. In short, I am sick of this place and am packing. I am so happy to be a renter right now.
Odesio
