I've mentioned my odd neighbors across the street before. The lived there a couple of years several years ago, and moved back last year. It is a rental place. I think the guy is the son of the McMansion guy next door to that house.
They yell a lot late at night and usually outside and I mean 3 am. The one child I see always seems unhappy.
Now there is something new going on. They change the color of the light bulb at the side door every few days. Sometimes it is red, sometimes blue, sometimes purple. Well, fine, you display and decorate as you like. None of my business, I suppose. But I tend to try to understand patterns and this one is "interesting".
When the guy changes it to red, the woman comes out and screams "not again"! Talk about a mystery... Drugs? Prostitution? Poker game night? Who knows...
I worry about my immediate next-door neighbors sometimes too. They are the ones who decided to burn brush near my wood fence underneath small dry trees last year during a drought until I demanded they stop. Their only fire control was a small bucket and a kiddy pool. Well, their 2 young kids were suddenly outside screaming at midnight. Midnight?
I went outside and saw the woman standing on the porch and asked if everything was OK. In a monotone, she said "yes". I asked again and mentioned that neighbors can help if there is a problem and she called the kids inside and closed the door.
The lady across the street in the McMansion was out walking her dog and I asked if she had heard the screaming. She didn't answer directly, but said the kids play in their yard sometimes and seem OK.
How do you know what to do in a situation like that? Maybe they just let their kids stay up late in these odd pandemic days. Maybe they are having problems but feel safe in the neighbor's yard around the friendly lady and the friendly dog. Maybe there is nothing wrong and I am becoming a busybody.
Or maybe I will see police cars at the house some day and know I should have called some authority.
4 comments:
Mark, I would err on the side of interference.
There was a teacher at one of my schools who other teachers and I thought there was something odd about. But I had confidential information I should not have had (secretary mentioned something to me). I knew a social worker and called her to ask if it was something to be concerned about. Unfortunately, she was on vacation at the time, so I did nothing. There were also other people who had different, pertinent information.
Then the teacher left our district to work at the next district north, so it was "someone else's problem." Turned out he had kidnapped his "son" and molested the boy regularly. Said teacher is still in prison. I will live forever knowing I could have, should have done something.
Now our county (perhaps state) has a system where one can talk to a social worker about whether or not there is something to be concerned about. In your shoes, I would call your local social services office and explain the situation. Let them be your guide.
Abuse is more rampant during this pandemic. Fuses are shorter, people can't get away as easily. Talk to someone.
Doesn't hurt to give a heads up to authorities. Nothing you can prove but they can keep eyes and ears open to others who might have the same suspicions.
This is a hard one Mark. I'll be interested to hear what you decide to do.
Megan
Sydney, Australia
Those are strange neighbors. I hope the kids are OK.
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