I’ve lived in the exact same house for 41 years. I’m not that terribly old, but still – 41 years in the exact same place.
That amount of time does give a person a certain level of information. I mean, I know everyone. Everyone knows me and my habits.
Way back in my 20’s, the woman across the street was named Marg. She was a sweetheart. She was a friend of my Grandparents and her kids were friends with my parents. She sort of adopted me and mine as extra family members.
They say as you get older that you need less sleep. Marg embodied that. She seemed to be awake most of the time, and she was always fully aware of what was going on in the neighborhood. Night and day Marg was always on watch.
I’ve always been up and out to work early. One day, back when the only phones were land lines, I took a vacation day. Early in the morning, about 10 minutes after my usual departure time, the phone rang.
I answered it, “Hello.”
The voice on the other end said, “Hi, this is Marg. Marg from across the street.”
(I had figured out who it was at “Marg”).
She said, “You’re late”
I said, “Huh?”
She said, “You’re late. I think you slept in.”
I said, “Uh, Marg, I’m off today. I took a vacation day.”.
She said, “Oh, you’re off today. Okay,” and hung up.
Fast forward 20 years. Marg had sadly passed away and her son Jim moved in. I had booked a vacation day. About 6:30 in the morning the phone rings.
I answer it, “Hello.”
“Dave, this is Jim. Jim from across the street. You’re late. I think you slept in.”
I said, “Uh, Jim, I’m off today. I took a vacation day.”.
He said, “Oh , you’re off today. I’ll buy you a drink down at Clancy’s” and hung up.
I smiled as I flopped back into bed. The neighborhood had my back.