Neighbor Interactions

Sal and I had this great neighbor for the past few years named Jeremy. Jeremy was incredibly kind and friendly. Anytime Jeremy and I were both outside, I got a very hefty, "Heeey Dannnyy." 

He grew most of his own food. Guys garden made me feel inadequate. But with all gardens, you can only eat so much. So several times every summer we'd find baggies of hot peppers or okra on our porch. 

He was Vietnamese, but spoke pretty good English. Our interactions were usually pretty brief, mostly because I had trouble understanding him. (Tinnitus in my ears + his accent and volume level)

There was one time where he gave me a tour of his garden and then offered to teach me his yoga and healthy eating routine. (I think Jeremy was probably in his 60s, but you would think he was 45.) And I was actually very interested. 

The problem is, Jeremy was always catching me at the worst times. Unloading groceries, getting back from the gym and needing to log into work, after a 3 mile run, when it's super hot/cold outside. I never stopped to chat very long. 

I always said I would go over to his place and just knock on the door at some point or sit in some lawn chairs out front and get to know the neighbors and Jeremy more. And I just never made the time to do it. 

Jeremy had been living in St. Louis by himself for 35 years. He had girlfriends off and on, but no family. Back in June he told me he had made up with his estranged son who lived in Houston and Jeremy wanted to move there to be by his family as he neared retirement. 

He told me I had been a good neighbor and he would miss me. And we never crossed paths again. I briefly caught a glimpse of him loading up a giant people mover van with his belongings and the next thing I know, he's gone, his lawn is overgrown, his plants dying. 

It's weird to miss someone you really only had surface level interactions with. Every time I'm mowing the lawn and I see his wilting garden and overgrown lawn, I get a little sad. 

I've had a few interactions with his property management company and it just let's me know the next neighbors will be temporary. 

It's one of those things that reminds you that the world keeps moving whether you want it to or not. It reminds you not to keep saying, "tomorrow." I think it's an important reminder and I'm glad that this reminder involved my neighbor moving rather than dying. But it's a reminder nonetheless.