A Gesture

Ericka and family moved into a house in the neighborhood next to ours. So we went and visited one day.  Our conversation was about how neighborhood living is so different than apartment living and not in all good ways.  I'm sure every neighborhood has its own nuance, but mine is one where most people are gone during the day and hers also.
In our apartment building we spent a lot of time together outside.  We would watch kids play and visit and share.  That is how I became friends with them in the first place.  Naturally though apartment living isn't very private.  And it is transient.  People coming and going all the time.
In my neighborhood I have met quite a few of the neighbors and that has increased as the littles have ventured further around the neighborhood.  But mostly there isn't a lot of "visiting".  Every one is busy doing their own thing.  I have a couple of neighbors that I talk to once in awhile because of proximity and kid things.  But I don't have friends in this neighborhood.
In this neighborhood I have a neighbor who thinks children like mine are rotten because they aren't supervised enough.  Oh joy.  She hasn't ever called mine rotten, but the case can be made when I compare mine to the ones she did call rotten.  Children brought into two parent loving families are very blessed and here is hoping that neighbor never experiences what some of the rest of us have gone through to get where we are. The neighbors with the "rotten" kids is the only ones who ever helped me when the little man was having one of his fits.
In this neighborhood I have had the cops come twice because of neighbor calls.  The first time was because one of the neighbors heard the little woman yelling at the little man and the neighbor decided I was abusing the kids.  I was mortified.  The only one abused in my house is me and yet a neighbor thinks I beat the kids.  The second time was on the little man for being threatening.....and that neighbor called after he threatened to ruin the little man's bike.....talk about escalation and maturity.  Yes, the little man was completely in the wrong.....it's one of the reasons we are in counseling.  I have a neighbor who has made rude comments to me.  I'm not sure what her point is or was....I just ignore her now.
Honestly I don't go out of my way to make friends either.  I'm really shy and don't put myself out there much.  And so this morning when Renee's oldest son actually stopped his car and rolled down his window to say "Hi, how are you doing?", I was a bit flabbergasted.  No neighbor has ever done that.  The last time someone from here checked on me was right after the gun incident Dec. '16 when neighbors from the other side came to make sure the littles and I were still alive.  A few of the neighbors driving by might wave if they see us.  But nobody goes out of their way here...until Todd.  Friendly for no reason.  What a powerful gesture.