Neighborly Consideration

We live at the very back of our condo complex.  And because they are condos, most of the units are either unoccupied several months of the year (because the owners are snow birds), or are occupied by the aged owners.  This combination means that it's a very quiet place to live.

However, there are rental units (obviously, since we live in one), and they don't always attract the highest quality of tenants.  There have been rumors of tenants in other buildings running drug houses and things like that.  But I've always felt like our complex was a safe place.  Apparently others do not, as the following story demonstrates.

In mid-October Dave, Lizzy Jo, and I made a whirlwind trip to Arizona to see my parents.  We left Friday at 3:30pm, and got back at 1:15am on Sunday.  We would have stayed longer, but I had to be back at church so I could conduct our church choir.  And we couldn't leave earlier because Dave had to be in court to represent a client on Friday.

Needless to say, all of us were tired and the car was a mess!  10 hours of driving in less than 34 hours is a lot. I decided to go out early Sunday morning to pick up all the water bottles, trash, and various items that were strewn about the front and back seats.  There were also some baby clothes, the hiking backpack, and our ipod.  I decided to shove everything into the hiking backpack since that would make it easier to bring everything in in one trip.

As I made my way from the driver's side to the passengers side to start picking up stuff over there, I noticed a lady walking her dog.  Every retired person in Mesquite owns a small lap dog!  It's like it's written into the HOA rules and regulations.  So I thought nothing of it.  But as I leaned in to grab the next bunch of trash, I heard her ask me, "Can I help you with anything?"

Me: "Oh no that's fine.  I've got it."  I expected her to keep walking her dog, but she just stood there, so I went on: "I'm just cleaning out the car after a quick trip this weekend."  Still no movement.  "We left Friday after my husband was done in court, and got back late last night, so the car is really a mess."

Her: "Does your husband go to court often?"

Me: "Yes, he does! Do you know him?"  I thought that she knew Dave through work and was just figuring out that I was his wife.

Her: "Oh.  No."  She turned away, and I think she started to reach for her cell phone in her pocket.

Me: "I mean, yes he's an attorney.  He goes to court a lot because he's an attorney."  I had just put all the pieces together.

Her: "Oh!  Well, I just thought I'd ask.  There are criminals all around us here!"

She thought that I was breaking into the car and stealing stuff, so she approached me. Then she thought I was admitting to my husband being a criminal! I'm willing to bet that she would have called the police if I hadn't set the record straight!