GO AWAY!

We have had nothing but problems with the people in the house across the street. The house itself is owned by the town and rented to people who have low income. The first family in the house had two children who frequently asked me to feed them dinner and if I didn’t they would return with cereal and eat it on my steps. If the mother had a “friend” over, the door would be locked and the children forced to stay outside. I don’t need to tell you where.

The second family had three children. When we were getting along with them it meant a daily phone call asking us to watch the children, the mother walking into our house uninvited, or finding the children playing unattended in our fenced back yard, or my personal favorite, climbing into our pool. This mother also locked her children out frequently leaving them to wander the neighborhood alone. So when the new people moved in with their three children (who incidentally without a doubt DO NOT share the same father) we decided to keep our distance. I did not bring them cookies. I did not introduce myself (although I did introduce myself when I met the mother at the library last year. She was complaining that the school had asked her not to volunteer…red flag!).

The past weekend the trampoline went up and the bikes came out making our yard look much like Disney World. Immediately the children came over. “Mom wants to know if we can come in and play.” Sorry. No. And hour later, “Mom wants to know if we can come over now.” Sorry. No. And another hour after that, “Mom told us to ask again.” This was followed by grunting and mumbling of “I told Mom they said no!”

I feel the need to redeem myself by pointing out that these same children spent their first week in the house throwing apples, sticks, and rocks at my children as they waited for the bus. Mom and Dad both spend a lot of time telling the kids to “GET THE F#$% OVER HERE” or “GET THE F#$% IN THE HOUSE” And although I didn’t hear it personally, I have been told that she also threatens to lock them up in the basement “again”. These are not people that we want to be friends with.

So Gary is out in the front yard the day after the children were not invited over to play. The mother and three children come out of the house. She is swearing like a trucker at the children, then yells out very much for Gary’s benefit, “We are going to the F-ing park…if they won’t let us play over there we are going to the park! Get in the F-ing car!” The returned shortly after with Walmart bags and a new Frisbee so it doesn’t look like they did go to the park, but whatever.

This is our house, our backyard, and our life. It is not a pubic playground or a neighborhood playground. It is my yard people. I am not obligated to let your children play here, especially after they spent many days throwing crap at my kids. Go away! Seriously, what is wrong with people? I am actually thinking of putting up a sign in the front yard: “This is a private home. The public park is another 100 yards down the road. Do not ask if you can come in. Go away.”

ps If you are my friend, or the friend of one of my children, and promise not the throw things at us, please come on over and play, you are welcome anytime!