Cursed

Our home, built in 1979, sits across from one built in its exact mirror image. I don't know why the builders chose to do this; they are the only two around designed this way.

Unfortunately, we have never seen a family living there in harmony. And children often end up in the crossfire. One resident only screamed at her husband on holidays such as Memorial Day. I can only imagine alcohol was involved, even first thing in the morning. ~shakes head~ They eventually lost the house to foreclosure.

The next couple appeared serene, but nighttime could get interesting. One Sunday morning I looked outside to see soda or beer cans spilled all down the sloped driveway. My husband and I quietly kept our distance. Soon thereafter those young parents divorced and moved away.

About two years ago a promising pair moved in. She and he appeared successful, at peace, and soon had a baby. But again, chaos reigns. J next door to them, whom I've mentioned in past, can't resist inserting himself into people's business. ~shakes head~ I'm quite certain he means well.

In fact, J told me he drove the husband to Tennessee for a used mini van. When I praised the action, he said, "It was either that or keep driving them around." Okay. He proceeded to describe the home's interior as that of hoarders and relayed a time he waited outside a store for the wife while she got caught shoplifting. Yikes.

He claimed their hoarding includes animals to some degree. Twice now they have lost a cat. I can't help thinking of the creatures as escaping and only hope neither encountered hungry coyotes. ~shudder~ I guess the wife blames her husband for this latest loss. One afternoon she shrieked profanity at him that would make a plumber blush. After that she almost ran over two pedestrians before her tire squalling exit.

Jezebel, caught here in the act of opening this sofa drawer,
would hide forever if we fought like that.

Her spouse shouted, "You can take the baby!" She screamed FU and sped away. A few mornings later I heard her sobbing on the phone. She didn't sound like a child, or even an infant. I can only describe the wailing as that of an attention seeking drama queen.

Now my husband and I have had our ups and downs. No relationship is perfect. The sort of behavior I have witnessed over these last two and a half decades, however, is inconceivable. In fact, during my brief hospital stay last autumn, staffers asked various times in different ways if I felt threatened at home. After either the fourth or fifth time I burst out laughing. In that moment, the relief on the administrators face was palpable. Nobody asked again after that. Heh... I think I made her day. My husband like the story so much he sometimes asks me if I feel safe. ~grin~ Not so amusing is the fact I've seen police show up over there.

Have you witnessed area residents in a screaming match? Did you know police officers face some of the greatest danger answering a domestic abuse call?

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