It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood.
A beautiful day for a neighbor.
But I don't know mine.
Do you know your neighbors? I live in a 15 story apartment building so you would think I would know at least one person living in the building. You would think. Unfortunately I only know the door men. Sure there are people I have spoken to and wave at but I don't know their names. I would never borrow a cup of sugar if I ever decided to bake something. The closest neighbors I know live ten blocks south. Which is probably about sixty thousand people away. The two of them happen to live in the same building so I am obligated to travel south where I meet them for after work beverages a couple days a week. Drinks are more fun than baking anyway.
We call ourselves "The Lodge". Every now and then someone will send me a text that says "Lodge meeting tonight." So I know that happy hour is on and no less then three of us will be imbibing 2 for 1 drinks at our favorite local spot. It's a shitty bar with dirty bathrooms, a hundred dirty bras hanging from the ceiling, and the awesome bartender Mike. I have a pretend crush on Mike because he plays Rat Pack music every time I'm there even though it probably pisses off the other clientele. That's all it takes to win me over.
My official Lodge title is Vice President of Marketing and Customer Relations. Which means nothing. Our president is The Vin Man who looks like he is in his early thirties but is actually forty five. He has played guitar and written music for some major stars as well as touring each year on one of those majorly popular after the reality TV show is over tours of the country. But it would be rude for me to share details. He has unusual taste in women and usually cat calls the ladies that walk by while standing out front smoking. He has lived in this neighborhood for years and knows all that weirdos that drop in like the guy in the suite with the pompadour hair who is always looking for weed and the little old mousy woman under five feet tall who only drinks white wine and coughs a lot.
Our VP is Frederick the funny man. He is in his thirties and assistant manages a huge building somewhere downtown where people with Nobel Prizes and such keep their offices. That is just his day job. He is an actor that has been in many national musical tours like Singing In The Rain. Frederick has been a friend of mine for years but for the first couple we were always so drunk when we got together we kept forgetting each other. That was back when brunching was an all day booze fest.
These are my neighbors and my friends. They are far stranger then I have mentioned here because nobody has that kind of time to write this stuff out. Then again, of course they are strange if they hang out with me! So do you know your neighbors? Why? How? Should I bother to meet someone in my building? It just seems so sad that if all my bottle openers broke I would have to take the elevator all the way downstairs and walk the ten feet to the deli to buy a new one. Or I could ask the doorman.
16 comments:
We have neighbors in back of us whom we have never met. It actually drives me a little bit crazy. They moved in last year and when we are out in the back yard throwing horse shoes and they are out mowing the lawn, they refuse to look our direction. We aren't terrible neighbors; there are no fights, no loud music blaring, no dogs pooping on the grass... just, nothing. It's weird.
The neighbors on each side of us did not greet us when we moved in -- WE went and met them. They are nice enough, but it seemed strange to me. It might be par for the course around here?
I would borrow a cup of sugar from any of the neighbors I have met. Of course, the grocery store is only a mile away, so I'd have to be pretty desperate for the sugar.
It's good to have friends. It's nice to have neighbors who are friendly, but sometimes it just doesn't happen.
Ooooh baby, can I join??????????
I live in an apartment complex. I know quite a few. Take the trash out for some of the older residents. I just dig people. I think you should meet everyone. Doesn't mean that you have to like them all.
I'll keep a spare bottle opener on hand just for you. Cheers Knight!!
I know some of my neighbors. Like the woman down the hall who always seems to let her ONS go when I am at the elevator....she comes out in a robe and is all "gee shucks" and I just smile and say "hey girl, hey" and she knows we're ok. I don't judge.
Then there's the puppet girl across the hall. She's always asking if I "know how to puppet" and telling me that she is "cooking up gigs" with her puppets. She always asks to tag along to the gym when I go, too....she doesn't have a membership and wants to go in with me.
And I have a friend in the building. Someone I toured with a while back.
All day booze fests. I remember those brunches. Ah, Freddy. The Lodge. Love it. Tell him I said hello.
I really think I would love that bar that you described. In fact, when I lived in Missouri, I used to frequent a bar that was very similar to that one. Right down to the bras hanging from the ceiling. Mine had hookers hanging out during the afternoons though. They were all really good pool players. Weird.
Anyway, I don't know any of my neighbors. I did know one, but she moved away. Which was really sad cause she was soooo cute and sweet. The woman upstairs is friendly when we happen to both be outside at the same time, but I don't know her name or anything. And the cop in the building next door is pretty cool and has two very friendly chihuahuas.
The problem with my neighbors is that they're all just too normal though. I think I need to be your neighbor. You're lots more fun than these people. ;-)
I know most of the people in the complex, simply because I work in the office and have to deal with them. The friends I have in the complex also do jobs here, so we get together and bitch about the tenants and then it turned into a real friendship. My prior building, I didn't know anyone...I am a very private person and like to keep to myself.
I think you should meet at least a few in case you need an emergency bottle opener, or lime for margaritas ;) You never know, you might meet someone that can give your career a real boost.
Can't see any from here but I have had quite a few chats with the neighbors at the end of the driveway(3 houses). Most places I've lived I get to know the neighbors quickly, I tend to ramble on and have many old stories that get some interest. Good or bad, friendly or not, neighbors are your closest connection if any shit hits a fan nearby, to me thats importent. Someone as attractive as you should not have a problem making friends or just neighborly friends nearby. Although I have no freaking clue what it's like to live in an apartment building, the humanity would most likely stifle me and shut me up.
Hi there, been a while since I dropped in for a visit. Sure, I know my neighbors, and talk to them when ever we run into each other.
But I don't live in a 15 story apartment building, I so fucking couldn't do that.
And I hate rent, I live on my own property on a quite street in a small town (to you).
But I'm looking for a more peaceful place in the country. A place surrounded by woods.
I know 'em all...
All 4 of them. ;)
Kcinnova- That is odd. It sounds like maybe you moved into a neighborhood where nobody cares to know each other. At least you got to know a few though.
Gary- Of course you can join! You would be the perfect addition to The Lodge.
Matt-Man- But how do you meet them? People seem to avoid conversation in my building.
GMEyster- I'm a little freaked out by the puppet thing. You are such a good sport. I'll tell Fred you said hello.
Jay- Hookers hang out at this place on occasion too! They took out the pool table though so I don't know about their skills. It would be so much easier to stalk you if you were my neighbor.
Reb- That's a good point with the career thing. One must always be networking. Maybe I should ask the doorman to introduce me to someone worth knowing.
Micky-T- I grew up in the Midwest and I remember the importance of knowing neighbors for saftey reasons but I think here nobody thinks it's necessary. Maybe it is seen as more of a danger. If I find one of my neighbors to be creepy and all of a sudden they are hanging out by my door I'm screwed.
BBC- I think you are in a good situation for yourself. You can talk to the folks you want and generally nobody is going to bug you because you don't live on top of each other.
LL- In your case it would probably be rude not to! ;)
Yesterday the chain-smoking Turkish guy across the hall rang my doorbell. I was terrified, naturally. The last time we interacted was when the furniture guys were trying to get my gorgeous new couch through the door. By opening his door, they were able to finagle it. SO, when he asked me yesterday if he could climb through my window and onto the fire escape to let himself back into his apartment (where his keys were), I gladly obliged. Do I KNOW him? No. But we share a hallway and a fire escape. So, that's uh...even more terrifying. AHHHHHHHHH!
I know most of my neighbors, and there are only two houses on my street that I have not been inside of. A lot of folks in my neighborhood like to drink, so much so that on Halloween there were booze stands for the parents next to the bowls of candy for the kids. We also have an annual party that usually ends the following day.
I suggest that you get to know one or more of the folks in your building, you never know when you may need more salt for the rims of glasses.
I sort of kind of know people. Jason counts as a neighbor, and I count anyone in the general area that is also my friend. :) That means sometimes you are a neighbor.
Howdy Gal! How are things in your life besides the neighborhood?
"The Lodge." Love it. I can be an honorary pin-pal member, right? Please? I promise, I can hang...
Happy Thursday! [It's Thursday, already.]
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