I Bake New Neighbors Bread To Welcome Them, And They Never Say Hello to Me Again

The Federalist ^ | 6/7/2017 | S. F. Kistler

[simpson96]

I am glad I am this old so I don’t have to live in this cold, uncaring world for 50 more years. Many Americans appear to have become shallow, immoral, intolerant, and hateful.

Let me tell you about my Southern California neighborhood. I have lived in this one for 22 years. I don’t know anyone, but it’s not for lack of trying. Each time a new neighbor moves in I bake a loaf of bread and take it to them. They thank me at the door and then close it. That is the last I see of them other than when they go to their cars.

One neighbor was pregnant and her husband was employed, so I gave her my phone number just in case she needed anything. She thanked me and didn’t give me her number. We spoke over the fence occasionally, but not in any way that would turn us into buddies or even casual friends. They moved.

Our newest neighbors dropped a card on our front porch before their bread was baked to tell us their names and gave us their phone number. I still have it four years later. I baked the bread and the mister thanked me at the door. I have never met the Mrs. in person.

I hosted a coffee klatch and made up fliers and put them on the 12 nearest homes. I got donuts, cut up fruit, and made coffee and tea. Six people came, drank the tea, and no one touched the donuts or fruit. They chatted about who all used to live here in this neighborhood over the years, said thank you and left. No one asked a single question of me. I have never been to their homes or had a conversation with any of them since.

[ronniesgal]

my husband is much more social than I am. I wave and say “hi” to the neighbors but that is it.

[Osage Orange]

I live in OK....now.

Moved from SoCal many years ago...I knew most of my neighbors there....though. Friendly people...for the most part.

Here, I give my neighbors garden vegetables, and cooked beans, marinated steaks and such....And they give me things in return. We watch our homes...and check on people.

I live in a small town now....But when I lived in SoCal...I lived in a big town.

[Steely Tom]

It’s called, “No Stay-At-Home Moms”.

Nailed it. Excellent insight and connecting-the-dots.

[xrmusn]

I bought my first house in 76 and stayed in it until 03...Didn’t really know my neighbors, figure I had ‘work’ acquaintances, ‘bar’ friends and my home was my place to get away from ALL of it.

Worked in various levels of Asphalt/Concrete paving and did NOT want to spend my OFF hours giving FREE ESTIMATES and people who expected you to do their ‘job’ for free just because you drove by their house every day..

Of course, doing work in your own neighborhood is not good because you never ‘finish’ the job...

I believe in the theory of the guy with some money married a woman with a large family and many relatives and he was somewhat of a ‘loner’.

When asked how he solved the ‘problem’ he said...

I borrowed money from those that had it and loaned it to those that didn’t...

Naturally NO ONE ever came by the house...

Remember, everybody pleases everybody else..

Some by entering a room, others by leaving it.

[NoKoolAidforMe]

Since you brought up the stupid generation, a/k/a the millennials, I had one as my neighbor for a brief time. Her and her idiot boyfriend moved into their elderly grandmother’s house (next to mine) to sponge off of grandma rather than getting their own place.

There was a large snowfall one night, and the female idiot could not drive up the steep driveway in her Prius. It did not occur to her or her stupid boyfriend that perhaps shoveling the snow and salting the driveway would have helped. I, regretfully, offered her the far side of my driveway with that caviat that she move her car the moment the snow stopped. Snow stops. I shovel out the rest of the driveway. She had cleaned off her Prius and dumped all of the snow onto what had been shoveled. I had to tell her that it is customary to thank people for doing nice things and that she messed up my driveway and did not so much as shovel anything on my property. I got the dear in the headlights look of astonishment as if she had no clue what manners or proper etiquette were. Frankly, I despise millennials for their rudeness, arrogance, laziness, and lack of respect.

And yes, many people just do not give a crap about anyone but themselves.

[mom4melody]

I did not know my neighbors names. We wave to each other occasionally.

[who knows what evil?]

"she likes to cut her husband's hair AND he likes her to be topless when she cuts it."

...I told my wife I wasn't the only one, and now I have proof...thanks!

[who knows what evil?]

Red Hampshire. Worst. Neighbors. Ever.

[floridavoter2]

I agree. You can be great neighbors without the need to be friends. I go home at night to be alone or with loved ones. Many people mean well, but some come on too strong or are too needy.

[Albion Wilde]

how much fun we had growing up as compared to kids today. Oh my gosh we left home by noon and were simply told to be back home by dinner time!.

I remember those days. Our town built a huge water tower in the field behind our neighborhood, surrounded by an anchor fence with barbed wire on top. Before the county filled the giant tank with water, a round nautical hatch was open near the base. We neighborhood kids crawled under the fence through a culvert, climbed inside the tower and screamed bloody murder -- it made the most awesome echoes!! We also tried to roller skate on the round base in the almost total darkness, lit only by a shaft of light from the round hatch, shrieking with joy at the deafening reverberations of the metal skates on the concrete floor in that huge metal dome.

My brother and his friends climbed to the top one night and spray painted a sign congratulating the graduating class of the high school. OK, that was bad. The following week the culvert had been blocked with a row of rebar sunk into the ground. Fun while it lasted. Finally they filled it with water for the whole town.

It looked sort of like this, only steel, not concrete:

[I want the USA back]

There’s a widespread loss of trust. Started when we left the city for the suburbs and needed the car to do anything. The cities went to hell and became war zones.
Tv teaches us the world is violent, so people stay home, watch more TV, and grow more alienated.
We make friends at work, but you won’t see them again after you leave the job. To make real friends get a Harley.

[mjp]

Not everyone is a people person. Some temperaments like to leave people alone and to be left alone. They are more comfortable that way. Making small talk is boring to some.

[FES0844]

No wonder the dog ran away!

[PhiloBedo]

Everyone is afraid of getting ratted out.

[Red Badger]

They don’t appear to be criminals, just stuck up...............

[PhiloBedo]

......and there’s that.

[BunnySlippers]

I was born here in Los Angeles in 1949. I’ve lived here all my life because I love it here ... there is nowhere else that compares favorably.

But overwhelmingly, my neighbors come to Los Angeles from some other state. it’s always been like that. It’s still that way.

So if you’re complaining about Californians ... they’re North Dakotans, Idahoans, Texans, Arizonans, etc, etc.

You have nothing to complain about.

[sheana]

That’s our neighborhood. We’ve had the same neighbors for 21 years on either side. We wave at each other as we go in and out of our garage. We know each other from living by each other so long but we’re not buddys.
I think the garage has a lot to do with it. I grew up in houses with no garages and everyone knew everyone.

[Snowybear]

It’s like that in Assachusetts too. Most of the northeast and definitely CA.

[crazy scenario]

"..I told my wife I wasn't the only one, and now I have proof...than "

Do you tell your neighbors about it.......OH, you just did!