My township, Randolph, New Jersey, is an average sized suburb. Within it there are five main communities. We are very much the average bedroom community.
Coming from New York City, I've not been able to get used to some of the things that go on here. Yesterday something happened that I don't think I'll ever get used to.

My son and his friends are typical high school seniors. He and his small circle of friends are very much like we were at that age, a little awkward, a little shy, in need of some social graces and just starting to grow up. Still, they are all good kids, none of them smoke or drink, none of them have been in any trouble and all of them are college bound this coming fall. My son, Andrew, is going to Rutgers here in New Jersey and one of his best friends is going to Cal Poly in California.

The friend going to Cal Poly drives a 15 year old Dodge Caravan. It has been in the family since new, but as you'd expect of a 15 year old mini-van it doesn't look new. The paint is peeling, there is lots of rust and bondo. Still it runs fine, and Gordon loves it. Besides he's smart enough to realize that it doesn't pay for him to get anything new when he'll be leaving for school in the fall and won't be able to take it with him. In a way I chuckle about Gordon's van because it is the same to him as my old beat up 61 Chevy Impala was to me when I inherited it as my first car.

Yesterday, Gordon came over to visit with Andrew. He parked his van across the street in front of a neighbor's house. Shortly thereafter, he and Andrew left in Andrew's car to go skateboarding in one of the area's parks.

After about 20 minutes, my younger son Adam came in the house to get us. He told us that there was a police car parked behind Gordon's van and the police officer was walking around it.

Fearing trouble, Liz and I ran up to the street and asked the officer if there was a problem. The officer replied that they had received a complaint from someone about an abandoned vehicle parked in front of their house. Further, the person complained that it was leaking fluids onto the street.

We explained to the officer that it belonged to our son's friend. The officer, a young man himself, was quite understanding. I asked if he had checked the license and he said he had and that there was no problem. I asked if infact he saw any dripping or leaking fluids around the vehicle, he said no. I remarked that there are too many busybodies in the community and he shrugged his shoulders and said he had to investigate whenever a complaint is made. With the problem resolved we spent the next 10 minutes talking about the community, sportscars and kids. After a few laughs about the complaint we shook hands he drove off and Liz and I went back to our house.

We couldn't get over the incident all evening. We couldn't believe that someone would actually call in a complaint. I suppose this neighbor thinks she owns the street in front of her house and has the right to determine who parks there. In the past she has filed complaints when people have cut down trees in their own yards and have used lawn mowers too early or late to suit her. She used to tell me which days of the week I went to clients because she'd see me drive away at different times. She once even told me that my lawn needed mowing. I told her that if the neighbors ever circulate a petition to get me out of the neighborhood they should bring it to me to sign too as I didn't want to be here any more than they wanted me to be here. She didn't like that too much.

None the less, when Andrew and Gordon came home we all had a good laugh about it. I told Gordon to pull down our driveway in the future, just to avoid any problems, or at the very least to park on our side of the street. I know that's wrong, he should be able to park where ever he wants. Still, I don't want him to have any problems. If it was me, I'd make a point of parking in front of her house.

I've been told that this kind of thing is typical of the suburbs. I don't know if it is or not, but I don't like it. Do you see this kind of thing in your community?

 

I'm glad we don't have that situation in our little neighborhood.

 

People can be real turkeys at times. I try not to respond to someone who obviously has nothing better to do than get her knickers in a twist about such minor things. What a life she must have. You did the right thing by not reacting.

 

I wondered what had happened to Gladys Kravatz.

 

Rob, she sounds like an unhappy person, to be bitching about normal life in a neighborhood. We've been in our house in a rural area for 21 years. We haven't had anyone that obnoxious but there have been some neighbors I didn't like.

A few years ago, we had an obnoxious neighbor straight across the street from us, but I'm happy to say that she moved to a mobile home park in Acton. I went out of my way to be friendly to her when she moved in. The next time I saw her she set upon me when I was going through my mail in the post office, with, "You let your Mexicans put their trash in my dumpster!" I was dumbfounded. First off, I don't have any Mexicans, and secondly, I wouldn't use her dumpster for anything. Then she yelled at my nice next door neighbors for having a goat tethered in their yard, to eat weeds. She spent hours volunteering at the animal shelter but she was obnoxious to people.

My next door neighbors on the other side just moved out. Yes! Once again, we are relieved to see them go. I had to go to them a couple months ago, and tell them that their yard looked like a dump. They had trash all over and it was blowing against the fence between our properties. Newspapers, fast food wrappers, all kinds of paper trash. The wife thanked me for telling them because she said if she told him to clean it up he wouldn't do it. I don't know why it was his job. They were having work done in the kitchen, so the trash would just blow out of the roll-off in their driveway.

After they first moved in, we came home after a weekend away and there were limes and bottle caps all over the concrete in our yard, where we park the motorhome. We picked it up but I told him later about it, and he said, that he and his buddy, another sheriff, were letting their hair down, drinking Coronas with limes, in their jacuzzi. He said he was pretty hammered and didn't remember throwing the stuff over the fence. We were on friendly terms with them but not friends. He's also the kind that uses any excuse he can to get out of work and on disability. Andy didn't have anything nice to say about him.

 

Oh, Rob,

Which Cal Poly is Gordan going to? I can think of a two, like Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (my fav), or Cal Poly Pomona.

 

Sounds like it was you neighborhood watch going overboard.

 

We don't have anyone like that in our neighborhood. We are friendly with our neighbors, as far as saying hello, etc., but we all mind our own business.

The neighbor right next to us takes in our trash can every week before we get home from work. Rick takes care of snow removal for him. He bought a car from the dealership Rick works at and Rick has loaned him his "demo" when he's had work done on it. He buys my granddaughter a gift each Christmas.

We let each other know if we are leaving town for a while, and that about as much of each other's business that we know, and that suit us fine.

Or biggest issue is the Little League parents who attend games at the fields across the street. They have to be "reminded" just about every season to observe the parking rules, and for some reason they have no problem with littering in our neighborhood. I'd bet they don't do it in theirs.

 

Lainey, we have an Acton Community Center about .4 miles down the street. From April through October, they have a Gymkhana there on the first Sunday of the month. I avoid driving there when it happens, and I always feel sorry for the residents across the streets. They are left with horse manure piled in the street in front of their homes.

 

I guess I'd rather have litter!

In our small town, baseball RULES! Our neighborhood is pretty busy in the evenings and on Saturday. It can make it difficult to plan things in our home, as parking can be an issue. My son loved hanging at the park watching the games when he was growing up.

Over the years, I have less tolerance for the whole bit. Too many parents are rude, they show no respect for other people's property, etc., and their kids are no better. But there is a plus side. With the park across the street, that limits the houses and busy body neighbors.

We actually had the house up for sale a few years ago. We were looking for peace and quite and a bigger yard for Rick to grow things in. We had a buyer in less than a month. As we looked around, the bigger yards came with bigger houses, which we did not need. Also, most of them needed a bit of work and $ to get it the way I wanted it.

We decided the devil you know is better than the one you don't. We cancelled the sale. We weren't crazy about going back into 30 year mortgage hell anyway, since the mortgage was almost over and done with. We bought the "S" a couple years later.

If needed, we find our peace and quiet while enjoying the "S".