If Only You Could Choose Your Neighbors

In the small town I live in, I don’t live in the best of neighborhoods. Don’t get me wrong it’s not terrible, but it has it faults, just like most do.

My neighborhood is overrun with kids. Mine being one of the hooligans that rides his bikes up and down the street not really paying much attention to cars. It’s a great place for kids because there are so many.

I don’t worry about Gabe playing outside, and I don’t worry about leaving my door unlocked during the day, but after this last week… I am a little bit concerned about some of my neighbors.

An old couple used to live across the street from me. The husband died a year or so ago, but the woman that lived there after his passing was so sweet. She used to work with my mother when I was in school, so I have known her practically forever. A few months ago she too passed away. Her family placed a “for sale” sign on her house and come and go occasionally to check on things.

Earlier this week there were several people over there with a trailer. We figured we were getting new neighbors, so my Dear Husband (DH) went out side to see if we needed to move our car that was parked in the street. When he eventually came back in, he informed me that the neighbors to the east of that house had been stealing stuff from my deceased friend.

I was immediately pissed off.. .he told me that they have been coming in and out of the house taking things. They even stole the back door off the house and put it on their own. WTF? They had been over there sooo many times they had worn a path in the yard between the houses.

My neighbor’s family were loading up everything in the house to protect what was left of their mother’s belongings. They said that they had contacted the police, but were unable to help them…

I can’t believe that someone would steal from a dead person… I just can’t get over that… really pisses me off.

SO, now DH is worried. We are getting ready to move, and sell our house. We thought we would wait to put it on the market until we left, but now we are worried that our neighbors might come in and screw stuff up. I mean, there won’t be much to steal (maybe a stove), but I really don’t want them to take my doors or windows or anything.

I know this isn’t my typical blog, but it’s been on my mind. What would you do?
~2

Chronicles of a Firefly

Drawn toward the light
Anticipation burns my eyes,
Juices flow heavily in my mouth.
Visions dancing fiercely in my head,
Dizziness overcomes me.
I collapse onto the while tile below.
Nothing now; no light, no breeze, no noise.
Soft, sensual fragrances send me into a trance.
I can almost taste their essence, so sweet, yet
Turning sour on my tongue almost iron-like.
The air is filled with an overwhelming smell,
Rotting flesh and decomposing animals.
It’s so stuffy… no air.
I gasp and gasp, reaching helplessly for another breath,
Only to find my lungs filled with a strange smoke.
A burning like acid overpowers me.
My delicate membranes throb, throb with each beat of my panicked heart.
Goosebumps race down my spine as warm, thick blood dances across my cold flesh.
Each attempt for breath now is an Olympic feat,
My weary body can’t go on.
Not breathing, I feel myself slip away.
I am still receptive to pain – OH ITS INTENSITY!
I can feel acids leaking from inside my body onto the cold tile underneath.
Astral projecting above my container,
I see it twitch and everything seems quite hazy.
My once called “self” is floating in its own sea of blood.
Frightened and trembling I flee,
But wait,
I see more bodies like mine,
All motionless on the same white tile floor aligning the oblong hall.
I’m not alone.
At the top of the arched hallway there are ten to fifteen like me.
Almost transparent, small and bright,
Like fireflies on a midsummer night
All trapped at the top, not able to fly home.
Left in the hall to die,
For some twisted mind’s pleasure;
A handmade nightlight.
~2