But for the past 20 years, I have been living in a building with 'neighbors' who remind me of Sting's song, "Every breath you take, every move you make, every step you take, I'LL BE WATCHING YOU..."
And if there is one thing I can't stand, it's nosy people who have no good reason to ask anything except for the fact that they love to gossip. I, not an inherently rude person, have had to become extremely rude over the years in order to fend off these mindless, manners-challenged people who just happen to live in the same building but assume that every GD thing I do is fodder for their inane attempts at conversation (and the ensuing gossip.)
If I'm outside on the terrace, I get "reports" of seeing me tending my plants, or my cats' activities. Fine. I put up a trellis, covered by a bamboo roll-up shade and lots and lots of big fat silk grape-ivy leaves to block the terrace viewers. Think they got the message? Ha! "Your terrace looks very pretty." Uh, can you maybe think of another reason for my blocking your view other than beautification?
If I bring something downstairs for recycling and happen to bump into one of the building's official Big Nose Brigade, it's 20 Questions Time. Excuse me, if you WANT the damned thing, just take it and don't bother me with stupid questions that do not require an answer.
And now that I am in the midst of relocating to another state and all that that entails, some even had the unmitigated gall to come to my apartment and "see" what they could grab for themselves. HELLO? Did I post a MOVING SALE sign anywhere? Because I sure don't remember doing that, and I certainly do not recall inviting you to annoy me. I'm not even safe walking to the supermarket these days, the interrogation is relentless and irritating as hell.
It's going to be a totally exhilarating experience to actually live in a private house, with a private laundry room and polite neighbors who know enough to wave hello, occasionally stop by for a friendly chat, and then take their leave without asking a single question that they already know is none of their business.
I don't know if this is an "Italian" thing, or something ingrained in me because of those early years, but I think it's safe to say that I am the living embodiment of "You can take the girl out of the neighborhood, but you can't take the neighborhood out of the girl."
And Robert Frost was right: "Good fences make good neighbors."
ESPECIALLY if you live in an apartment building.
